THE STATE OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM 2021 THE STATE OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM 2021 1 Freemuse (freemuse.org) is an independent international non-governmental organisation advocating for freedom of artistic expression and cultural diversity. Freemuse has United Nations Special Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC) and Consultative Status with UNESCO. Freemuse operates within an international human rights and legal framework which upholds the principles of accountability, participation, equality, non-discrimination and cultural diversity. We document violations of artistic freedom and leverage evidence-based advocacy at international, regional and national levels for better protection of all people, including those at risk. We promote safe and enabling environments for artistic creativity and recognise the value that art and culture bring to society. Working with artists, art and cultural organisations, activists and partners in the global south and north, we campaign for and support individual artists with a focus on artists targeted for their gender, race or sexual orientation. We initiate, grow and support locally owned networks of artists and cultural workers so their voices can be heard and their capacity to monitor and defend artistic freedom is strengthened. ©2021 Freemuse. All rights reserved. Design and illustration: KOPA Graphic Design Studio Author: Freemuse Freemuse thanks those who spoke to us for this report, especially the artists who took risks to take part in this research. We also thank everyone who stands up for the human right to artistic freedom. Every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this report. All information was believed to be correct as of February 2021. Nevertheless, Freemuse cannot accept responsibility for the consequences of its use for other purposes or in other contexts. This report is kindly supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Fritt Ord Norway 2 FREEMUSE THE STATE OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM 2021 While we must be separated by physical distancing, arts and culture can still bring us together safely and allow us to maintain and even strengthen our connections with one another when we need them the most. I thank all the artists and cultural practitioners around the world who are making our lives better and strengthening us through their work during this challenging season. I pledge that we will stand with them now as their livelihoods are massively threatened and their abilities to express themselves are limited, and, we will stand with them going forward, to work together to preserve and protect and rebuild cultural life, and the institutions and spaces which enable their work, in accordance with the dictates of public health. Indeed, arts and culture are core components of public health and vital to human well-being. Karima Bennoune, UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Artistic Freedom Seminar at 2020 Oslo World Festival, 26 October 2020. Rafat (Jordan). Credit: Cartooning for Peace 4 FREEMUSE CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 CHAPTER 1: THE VISUAL STORY 9 INTRODUCTION 28 CHAPTER 2: GLOBAL TRENDS 29 Fighting the ‘disinfodemic’: Artistic expression during the COVID-19 pandemic 31 State-sponsored silencing of political dissent 41 Silencing artists on the grounds of fighting terrorism, blasphemy and indecency 49 Limitations to artistic expression in the digital space 57 Homophobic actions against artistic expression 65 Targeting women’s artistic expression and gender inequality in the cultural sector 73 Racial discrimination and artistic expression 81 CHAPTER 3: COUNTRIES OF CONCERN 88 BANGLADESH 89 BELARUS 91 BRAZIL 93 CHINA 96 CUBA 98 EGYPT 101 INDIA 104 IRAN 107 KENYA 110 KUWAIT 112 NIGERIA 115 RUSSIA 118 TURKEY 121 UGANDA 124 USA 127 RECOMMENDATIONS 130 ENDNOTES 135 THE STATE OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM 2021 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2020, the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic, freedom. Aiming to illustrate varying problems an unprecedented health crisis described by the and obstacles artists face in different parts of the International Labour Organisation as “the worst world, Freemuse also provides analysis of the state global crisis since the World War II”.1 Among the first of artistic freedoms in 15 countries: Bangladesh, measures imposed by governments worldwide to Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Iran, Kenya, slow down the spread of COVID-19 were almost Kuwait, Nigeria, Russia, Turkey, Uganda, and the immediate restrictions on freedom of movement United States of America. which placed most of the world’s population under strict lockdown. These restrictions automatically The report demonstrates that although artistic resulted in a total shut down of arts and culture expression has been under attack by different spaces and stopped cultural activities organised in actors (including political and religious groups, physical spaces. social media platforms and private individuals), different government authorities instigated Deprived of the opportunity to fully enjoy their violations in 60 percent of documented cases. cultural rights, people all around the world found This data illustrates that governments and state- themselves locked in their homes, and often funded bodies remain the biggest threat to artistic reached to books, music, films and other art forms expression, as well as that nationalist and populist to organise their lives in accordance with the authorities stay determined to silence varying ways ‘new normal’. Many artists and representatives of of voicing political dissent. cultural institutions almost instantly felt the urge to stage online concerts, make theatre plays and In 2020, Freemuse monitored a record number of films available online, and organised digital book cases where artists faced legal consequences readings or virtual museum and gallery exhibitions. because of their peaceful expressions—artistic They offered their work for massive consumption or otherwise. At least 322 artists were arbitrarily free of charge, despite being themselves detained, prosecuted or sentenced to prison terms, disproportionally affected by the pandemic. primarily on political grounds. Mainly, people were Countless artists and cultural workers lost their jobs, sanctioned for expressions deemed critical of public their projects were cancelled, and engagements authorities or insulting of state officials and national were postponed indefinitely, exposing them to symbols, as well as for staging and participating extraordinary economic uncertainty. in anti-government protests and criticising the authorities’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, oppressing artists’ voices has not ceased with restrictions on cultural events Apart from Belarus, where dozens of artists were imposed worldwide following the outbreak of the detained and sentenced to administrative prison COVID-19 pandemic. On the contrary, to some terms in the context of nationwide demonstrations extent, it intensified. Freemuse’s research shows following presidential elections held in August, that while in this limbo, artists are additionally artists who took part in anti-government protests subject to censorship, face criminal offences and in Nigeria and Thailand were also subject to imprisonment in overcrowded prisons exposed to arbitrary arrests. The elections in Uganda resulted in high risk of infections, and in other ways have their repeated human rights violations of the musician- voices stifled. turned-politician Bobi Wine, who was running as a key opponent to the long-standing President In the State of Artistic Freedom report—a research Yoweri Museveni. Repercussions were experienced publication produced annually—Freemuse provides also by artists perceived as Bobi Wine’s supporters. an analytical examination of violations to the right In Cuba, at least 21 artists were arrested, many on to freedom of artistic expression documented multiple occasions, on grounds of opposing the through 2020 and present some of the most government and its disproportional interference prevailing restrictions. This report is based on the in an independent cultural sector. In South Africa, analyses of 978 incidents where this right was 32 artists and cultural and entertainment industry violated, documented in 89 countries and online. In workers have been prosecuted for staging a protest addition to statistical data, Freemuse also utilises of COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings, in qualitative interviews with 70 artists and relevant which they say severely crippled their livelihoods. experts, providing personal experiences, reflections and insights about the limitations put on artistic 6 FREEMUSE Artists around the world continue to face severe infringements on their human right to free expression also through censorship, attacks on their physical integrity, threats and harassment, administrative and legal fines, suspensions from cultural professional bodies, or damages and destruction of their works. Apart for political dissent, they are subject to undue repercussions for expressions characterised as ‘misinformation’ about the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘likely to cause panic’ during a health crisis. Through stifling malcontent conveyed by artists, authorities often weaponise the pandemic against freedom of expression, which results in a widespread deterioration of core democratic principles and the rise of authoritarianism. Freemuse’s findings also show that national prosecution and judiciary