Tag Archives: freedom of artistic expression

activism, Causes, News

Nigerian Musician faces the death penalty for sharing his song on WhatsApp – help demand his release

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According to Freemuse, as well as other media and international human rights organizations, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was first arrested in March 2020, after audio messages of a song he wrote started circulating on WhatsApp.

Sharif-Aminu, a musician and follower of the Sufi Tijaniyyah Order, was charged with insulting the reigning religious creed in Nigeria and offending Islam.

The young musician is one of many artists around the world whose voice is feared by authorities, artists who are thus oppressed, arbitrarily arrested, and in the worst cases, sentenced to death or killed by fellow citizens.

This is a clear case of the violation of a fundamental human right: the freedom of artistic and religious expression.

Join us in calling for the immediate release of Yahaya and the dropping of all charges against him by signing this petition!

News

New music video gets Iranian rappers arrested

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Snapshot from the “Amade Bash” music video on YouTube

Vafa Ahmadpor, also known as Vafadar, and Danial Maghaddam were arrested shortly after the release of a music video for their new song, called “Be Ready” or “Amade Bash”.

According to various human rights groups the rappers were arrested in the city of Shiraz on May 9th and their current whereabouts are unknown.

The video starts off with the two rappers stating that the Iranian people are united as a nation and asks authorities “Do you want to execute us all?”

The duo criticize their government in the song, pointing out economic hardships, repression by security forces and the oppressive tactics of the so-called morality police. Since the murder of Mahsa Amini, while in custody, and the worldwide protests that followed, Iranian authorities have taken a hard stand against artists using their talent in protest and used any means necessary to stifle dissent.

News

Hong Kong pro-democracy anthem now officially banned in the city

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The ban has raised serious concerns about the future of freedom of speech in the autonomous region.

Composed in 2019 by a young musician using the pseudonym “Thomas dgx yhl”, the song was initially written to ‘boost protester’s morale and unite people’. It then rapidly went viral and was often sung during the 2019 anti-government protests that rocked the autonomous region.

The Hong Kong government has since demanded that Google and other online search engines delete the song from their system and so far, more than 30 videos have been blocked and replaced with the message: “This content is not available on this country domain due to a court order.”

The pro-democracy anthem is still available and obviously it can never be fully deleted. Songs will always live on and it only takes one person with the spirit of freedom pumping through their veins to play the song and upload it. Again, and again, and again.

Banning a song is a futile act of a desperate, weak and fearful government.

Please enjoy Glory to Hong Kong below and spread the word of freedom of expression and solidarity with artists and activists everywhere.