Artist Alert
Artist Alert
April 2009
Art, in any form, constitutes a key medium through which information and ideas are imparted and
received. Artist Alert, launched by ARTICLE 19 in 2008, highlights cases of artists around the
world whose right to freedom of expression has been curtailed and abused, and seeks to more
effectively promote and defend freedom to create.
In March 1959 an invitation to the Dalai Lama to attend a military theatrical performance
sparked protests by an estimated 300,000 demonstrators in Lhasa, all concerned that the
show would be a cover giving the Chinese army a chance to “disappear” the young leader.
50 years later in March 2009 whilst the Dalai Lama has been in exile for almost half a
century, artists in Western China and Tibet still face widespread abuse, censorship and
detention.
Tibet and China: numerous artists detained and censored
Editor Kunchok Tsephel Gopey was arrested in Gansu province at the end of February and
his website Chomei (The Lamp) temporarily closed down.
Chomei (www.tibetcm.com) has been written entirely in Tibetan languages and aims to
raise awareness of art and culture in Tibet, providing a valuable forum for poets and artists
to express themselves creatively. According to Reporters sans Frontières Chomei has been
regularly censored by the authorities since 2005.
Leading rock band Oasis has been blocked from playing concerts in China due to their
previous support for the organisation Free Tibet. Concerts planned for Shanghai and
Beijing were cancelled in March 2009 by their promoters after it became known that lead
singer Noel Gallagher had performed in 1997 at a concert raising money for the
campaigners for a free Tibet.
The cancellation follows a 2008 concert where singer Bjork allegedly shouted “Tibet
Tibet!” and confirms rules that ban performers from lyrics that could damage “national
unity” or “stir up resentment”.
Jigme Gyatso, a monk who assisted director Dhondup Wangchen in the production of the
2008 film Leaving Fear Behind was also re-arrested in March and there are reports of his
torture.
Leaving Fear Behind (www.leavingfearbehind.com) was created in the run-up to the
Beijing Olympic Games and contains interviews with Tibetans about the impact of
Chinese policies on Tibetans and Tibetan culture. Both Jigme Gyatso and Dhondup
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Wangchen have been detained since filming. Jigme was released for several months in
October 2008, only to be re-arrested in March 2009.
20-year-old writer Kunga Tseyang was also arrested in Golok County on 17 March.
Tseyang studies at the world famous Labrang monastery and the Institute for Higher
Buddhist Studies and writes about Buddhism and Tibetan arts and culture. There has been
no news of his whereabouts since.
These arrests are just part of a larger campaign by the authorities to suppress debate,
including their earlier blocking of Tibet Culture website (www.tibetcul.com) and their
jamming of radio stations broadcasting in Tibetan languages.
United Kingdom: visa denials for artists
Under the new points-based visa system for the United Kingdom, artists of all genres are
repeatedly being denied access to the country because their artistic professions are not
highly rated by the system. In the first quarter of 2009, three artists: Tenzing Rigdol from
Nepal; Dmitry Vilensky from Russia; and Huang Xu from China, had their visa
applications rejected by the UK Border Agency. All three had applied for their visas with
firm support from the highly-regarded Rossi & Rossi Gallery, the Showroom Gallery and
the October Gallery respectively.
According to the Manifesto Club, contemporary visual artists, musicians, academics,
promoters, museum and gallery workers, a ballet company, tango enthusiasts, and
international actors have all been refused entry.
Israel: Jerusalem Cultural Festival banned
Israeli Minister for Internal Security Avi Dichter banned the festival Capital of Arab
Culture 2009 from taking place in East Jerusalem in March.
The festival was due to take place over a whole year but Israeli police intervened to stop
all future proceedings, despite East Jerusalem being outside of Israel’s legal jurisdiction.
20 people were reportedly arrested for being associated with the event and Agence France
Presse stated that Israeli police confiscated flags and detained university employees
distributing t-shirts advertising the festival.
Russia: exhibitors arrested for “insulting Christians”
Russians Yurii Samodurov and Andrei Yerofeev were charged in April 2009 by the
Taganskii District Prosecutor for curating an exhibition that, in the words of the
Prosecutor, was “clearly directed towards expressing in a demonstrative and visible way a
degrading and insulting attitude towards the Christian religion in general and especially
towards the Orthodox faith.”
The exhibition, which was entitled Forbidden Art, took place at the Sakharov Museum in
March 2007 and included work by well-known contemporary artists such as Ilya Kabakov,
Aleksandr Kosolapov, Aleksandr Savko, Mikhail Roginskii and the group Blue Noses.
Despite the fact that Russia is a secular state, where everybody is guaranteed the freedom
to disseminate religious or atheist views, Samodurov and Yerofeev face prison terms of up
to five years.
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Lebanon: homelessness, prostitution and sexuality censored
Mark Abi Rached’s film HELP! was banned just four days after its release in Lebanon,
despite being previously approved by the officer in charge of censorship.
HELP! addresses sex, prostitution, sexuality, homelessness and drugs in Lebanon and
originally received firm approval from the authorities. Although given authorisation to be
screened, a later bureaucratic change was introduced by a new censorship officer who
revoked approval at the last minute. According to the Center for Defending Media and
Cultural Freedoms in Beirut, the banning of the film was the result of complaints received
from various Catholic institutions over the film’s content and its alleged effect on public
morals.
World: STAR TV censors “gay” in Oscars
News Corporation-owned STAR TV cut sound during several references to homosexuality
in the live broadcast of the 2009 Oscar awards ceremony. STAR TV is a privately owned
satellite and cable channel that broadcasts mostly in Asia.
Dustin Lane Black, screenplay writer for the film Milk was cut when he said, “I think [gay
rights activist Harvey Milk] would want me to say to all the gay and lesbian kids out there
tonight ... that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what
anyone tells you, God does love you.”
Later, Sean Penn, Oscar winner in the best actor category, was also censored saying, “For
those who saw the signs of hatred [in an anti-gay protest outside] as our cars drove in
tonight, I think it's a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit
and reflect on their great shame and their shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they
continue that support”
The television channel has an estimated audience of 300 million people in 54 countries
around the world, particularly in Asia, and STAR TV spokesman answered in response to
complaints that STAR has “a responsibility to take the sensitivities and guidelines of all
our markets into consideration”.
Thailand: Harry Nicolaides free at last
Author and academic Harry Nicolaides was released in March 2009 from prison in
Thailand by royal pardon following a long campaign by Thai and international
organisations, including ARTICLE 19. Nicolaides was imprisoned for three years under
lese majeste legislation after writing a historical book on the Thai monarchy. ARTICLE
19 has highlighted Nicolaides’ case and the effects of lese majeste legislation upon artists
in a number of previous publications.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
•
For more information: please contact Oliver Spencer, oliver@article19.org, +44 20 7278
9292
•
ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works around the world to
protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech.
ARTICLE 19, 6-8 Amwell Street, London EC1R 1UQ
Tel: (+44) 20 7278 9292 / Fax: (+44) 20 7278 7660
Web: www.article19.org / Email: info@article19.org
