FEATURE: Russia is rapidly constructing a new censorship machine that reaches into every field of art. Renowned filmmakers like Alexander Sokurov are rebuked in front of Putin, publishers face extremism charges over LGBT‑themed books, theatre directors are jailed for “justifying terrorism,” and musicians, museums and street artists navigate raids, blacklists and vigilante denunciations. Together, these cases reveal a deliberate strategy to turn artistic life into a zone of permanent legal risk.
Kazakhstan is tightening legal pressure on artists, comedians and satirists, using “petty hooliganism,” “incitement of hatred” and new “LGBTI propaganda” provisions to police creative work. Recent cases against a rapper, stand‑up comics, a choreographer and a satirical blogger have turned social media into an early‑warning system, as artists frame each arrest as part of a broader crackdown.
Nigeria: Over the past year, Kano State's Film and Video Censorship Board has emerged as one of West Africa's most assertive cultural regulators. In May 2025, it suspended 22 popular Hausa-language drama series including Labarina and Dadin Kowa, barring all broadcast and streaming. The Board also banned singer Usman "Sojaboy" and actresses Shamsiyya Muhammad and Samha Inuwa on moral grounds, while closing eight entertainment centres and restricting Islamic musical debates. These actions reveal how sub-national authorities reshape artistic ecosystems through enforcement of Sharia-aligned cultural policy—while clashing with Nigeria's federal broadcasting regulator.
Bangladesh: A youth-led “March for Justice” set out from Dhaka’s Shahbagh on 6 January, demanding accountability for the killing of activist, writer and teacher Sharif Osman Hadi. Led by Inqilab Mancha, the march tied Hadi’s assassination to wider struggles over democracy, Indian hegemony and “cultural fascism,” as protesters vowed to escalate their campaign unless planners, collaborators and cross‑border protectors of his killers are brought to justice
During the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests, Iranian artists became cultural icons—over 100 arrested or prosecuted for their activism. Today, with leaked government documents exposing a secret "Celebrity Task Force" and systematic work bans, prominent creatives have gone underground. The December 2025–January 2026 uprising shows artists participating through encrypted channels and anonymous work rather than public visibility. Yet the cultural infrastructure they built—from the Grammy-winning anthem "Baraye" to protest imagery—remains the emotional backbone of resistance, while the fates of 2022's imprisoned and exiled figures continue to shape how the movement unfolds.
Mimeta’s December 2025 reporting focuses on the Middle East and North Africa, revealing how artistic life is increasingly constrained by overlapping systems of state power, religious authority and informal enforcement. From disappearances and arrests to quiet bans and moral campaigns, artists across the region face repression that is often unwritten yet deeply effective, shaping what can be seen, heard and performed, and who is allowed to appear in public cultural life.
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CategoriesCensorship in Arts, Censorship MENA, Censorship SWANA, Middle East, Mimeta, North-Africa, Reports
Israeli intelligence forces raided Jerusalem’s Palestinian National Theatre, Al-Hakawati, during the children’s musical “Dreams Under the Olive Trees,” ordering families to evacuate within five minutes. The shutdown of a licensed, internationally funded cultural event has drawn condemnation from theatre groups, human-rights advocates and media outlets, who say it exemplifies the broader repression of Palestinian cultural life and children’s rights in Jerusalem.
When Syria’s pioneering stand‑up collective Styria cancelled its shows in Hama during the country’s first Comedy Festival, co‑founder Malke Mardinali warned that “every word is being scrutinized and reports are being filed.” The incident captures how surveillance, informal pressure, and fear of denunciation still define the limits of artistic expression in Syria’s fragile post‑war cultural opening
In August 2024, Egyptian syndicates suspended Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe’s work permits over contractual disputes, briefly restoring them later that month. In March 2025, the Musicians’ Syndicate escalated the case by banning her from performing, after a complaint from her former manager. The Administrative Court finally overturned the ban in December 2025, closing a 16‑month battle with major implications for artistic freedom
Karbala’s first girls’ school athletics championship in December 2025, organized with an all‑female refereeing team, quickly turned into a test of the city’s “sanctity” politics. A local religious initiative condemned the event as indecent, while rights advocates and social‑media users defended it as a legitimate step for girls’ education, health and visibility in Iraqi public life.
A petition by the Austrian Society for the Protection of Tradition, Family, and Private Property (TFP) against a contemporary religious art exhibition at Vienna’s Künstlerhaus has triggered harassment and institutional backlash for artist Deborah Sengl. The campaign, framed as a defence of Christian values, shows how coordinated religious‑political pressure can narrow artistic freedom without formal state censorship
Kurdish violinist Nima Mandoumi, 23, was seized by Iranian intelligence in Alborz province on 9 December 2025 and has since disappeared into incommunicado detention. His arrest reportedly followed an international concert in Armenia involving Israeli musicians, underscoring how Iran’s security apparatus is criminalising cross‑border artistic collaboration and using enforced disappearance to silence Kurdish cultural voices
After months of religious backlash, boycott calls and a high‑profile lawsuit led by lawyer Mortada Mansour, Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court upheld the right to screen the already‑licensed feature The Atheist, reinforcing constitutional protections for artistic creativity and limiting attempts by private actors to erase controversial works from public space.
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When Pomme d’amour, a satirical short film by Fares Naanaa, was re-released online in 2025, it ignited a wave of outrage over alleged blasphemy. Yet behind the public uproar lay a deeper story , one of political distraction, fear-driven self-censorship, and the rapid erosion of Tunisia’s post-revolutionary creative freedoms.
Syrian author Khalil Sweileh’s acclaimed novel The Barbarians’ Paradise faces renewed censorship more than a decade after its first Cairo publication. Authorities demanded removal of passages depicting the Syrian conflict and changes to the text, which Sweileh refused. This episode underscores the persistent control over artistic expression in Syria and highlights the limited space for writers to challenge official narratives.
When a Basra fashion show celebrating cultural heritage sparked armed threats, it revealed how non-state actors now dictate Iraq’s moral and creative boundaries. The case exposes the deepening crisis of artistic freedom in a society struggling to reclaim its cultural voice.
When the Saudi historical drama Muawiya aired during Ramadan 2025, it ignited religious and political tensions in Egypt. Al‑Azhar issued a fatwa prohibiting its viewing, citing the portrayal of Prophet Muhammad’s companions as impermissible. Despite bans on local TV, the series remained accessible online, highlighting the clash between traditional censorship, sectarian sensitivities, and digital media’s reach in shaping historical narratives across the Arab world.
On 6 February 2025, Iraq’s Karkh Misdemeanor Court issued a one-year prison sentence in absentia against Iraqi singer and performer Taysir Al-Iraqiya for publishing content deemed “immoral” online. The ruling, based on vague morality provisions in Iraq’s Penal Code, reflects a broader state campaign targeting artists, influencers, and creators. The case highlights growing risks to artistic freedom, digital expression, and cultural diversity amid intensified online content policing.
In July 2025, Syrian folk singer Omar Khairy was abducted from a wedding in his hometown of Al‑Bab by armed men who said they were acting for “general security.” Hours later, videos showed him beaten, shaved, and forced to sing under duress over his alleged praise of Bashar al‑Assad. The case reveals how rival authorities in northern Syria enforce red lines on cultural expression through intimidation and public degradation
The 2025 International Film Festival of Kerala was thrown into turmoil after India’s Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting refused screening exemptions for 19 films, including Palestinian works and the classic Battleship Potemkin. The unexplained decision forced last-minute cancellations, ignited protests from filmmakers and cultural leaders, and raised serious concerns about arbitrary censorship, political interference, and India’s commitment to artistic freedom at international festivals.
