Freemuse

Freemuse joins the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) in calling for the immediate release of Egyptian filmmaker and screenwriter Omar Salah Marei.

Held in pretrial detention since 11 May 2026, Omar has reportedly been denied regular access to his lawyer, family, and urgent medical care.

We call on the Egyptian authorities to drop all charges, ensure his humane treatment, and release him without delay.

Read more here: https://www.freemuse.org/free-omar-salah-marei
You can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/free-omar-salah-marei-now

Even — especially under the severest pressures — art remains one of our most powerful means of resilience. It’s so good to see this initiative celebrating and protecting one of its most potent forms: film.

Despite war, Lebanon reopens film archive celebrating cinematic history The reopening marks a major effort to preserve Lebanon’s rich cinematic history.

New research from Malaysia reveals how self-censorship is quietly reshaping the arts.

Across film, music, visual arts, and publishing, artists and cultural workers are adjusting, withholding, or rethinking their work to avoid backlash, restrictions, or professional risk.

The report, Understanding the Impact of Self-Censorship Among Artists and Cultural Workers in Malaysia, by ArtsEquator and Five Arts Centre’s RADAR, explores how censorship (direct and indirect) affects creative practice, career growth, personal well-being, and wider cultural discourse.

Drawing on five focus group discussions conducted in July 2025, the study shows that self-censorship is not just an individual choice. It is shaped by the broader cultural, political, and institutional environments artists must navigate.

Read the full report here:
https://radar.artsequator.com/understanding-the-impact-of-self-censorship-among-artists-and-cultural-workers-in-malaysia/

Across Latin America, artistic freedom is often formally recognised but not effectively protected.

Radar Bulla, Cartel Urbano’s artistic freedom monitoring initiative, documents cases of censorship, threats and criminalisation against artists and cultural workers.

The latest monitoring period, from November 2025 to January 2026, is part of an ongoing collaboration with Freemuse through the Building Bridges initiative, connecting regional documentation with international human rights standards.

Learn more about the cases and the wider monitoring work here: https://cartelurbano.com/bulla/el-riesgo-de-crear-asi-funciona-nuestro-radar-por-la-libertad-artistica

Image: Angel Carrillo