ARTICLE 19, FREEDOM HOUSE SPOTLIGHT CENSORSHIP

With much of the world's attention on Iran, ARTICLE 19 and Freedom House have launched new publications aimed at shedding light on the state of free expression in the country and the challenges faced by artists, writers, journalists and dissidents.

ARTICLE 19's report "Unveiled: Art and Censorship in Iran" contains personal accounts of Iranian musicians, poets, painters, film-makers and actors who have faced censorship because of their work.

It finds that "in spite of the mechanisms through which censorship is exercised and the myriad number of difficulties artists face in Iran, Iran's rich artistic and cultural heritage has managed to endure and transcend these stringent controls."

Freedom House has launched "Gozaar" ("Transition"), a new online magazine aimed at providing Iranians with a forum for discussing democracy and human rights. It is a bi-monthly magazine in Persian and English that features interviews, essays, political cartoons, feature articles, satire and reviews of art, film and literature in Iran.

One of the main features of "Gozaar" is its moderated discussion forums in which readers from around the world can contribute their opinions in either Persian or English.

To prevent government surveillance or blockage of the site, "Gozaar" uses innovative internet security technologies to allow readers in Iran or elsewhere to bypass censors and filters. The magazine is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other private sources.

Visit these links:
- Unveiled: Art and Censorship in Iran:
http://www.article19.org/pdfs/publications/iran-art-censorship.pdf
- Gozaar: http://www.gozaar.org
- IFEX Alerts on Iran: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/221/