The Russian-American writer was at the centre of a controversy yet things were not exactly as they first seemed
CATEGORY: Middle East and North Africa
Art institutions accused of censoring pro-Palestine views
Ai Weiwei and other artists speak to Index amid a spike in censorship within the art world right now as a result of the Middle East conflict
We must not stay silent on Iran’s use of the death penalty
Hundreds have been executed in Iran this year as the regime continues to punish those involved in the protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death
Moments of Freedom 2023
The Index team and our supporters have come together to identify moments in the past 12 months when the world did not seem so dark. Help us choose the most inspiring
Qatar fails to deliver on World Cup promises
One year on from the 2022 World Cup, improvements to human rights in Qatar have yet to materialise
Life and death in Iran’s prisons
The human rights activist Narges Mohammadi faces yet more charges for her activism and her refusal to wear hijab
The Magufuli hangover
Tanzania’s civic space was hopeful for reform after the death of John Magufuli in 2021 but early optimism under President Samia Hassan has evaporated
Silent Palestinians in Gaza and Israel
It’s not just anti-war voices that are being gagged in a conflict that threatens to spiral out of control
Why academic freedom and freedom of speech are not the same thing
The right to debate ideas in universities does not give free rein to voice hateful ideas outside that environment
The stakes are high for free expression in Israel-Hamas conflict
Journalists have been attacked and killed, individuals have been silenced and protests banned as a result of the conflict