Controversies Index on Censorship

1 controversies

1.1 robert fisk
1.2 theo van gogh
1.3 danish cartoons

controversies
robert fisk

in december 2002 index on censorship faced calls cancel charity performance of john malkovich film dancer upstairs @ london s institute of contemporary arts (ica). speaking students previous may, malkovich had been asked – star of les liaisons dangereuses – fight duel with. picked robert fisk, independent newspaper s middle east correspondent, , george galloway, @ time glasgow labour mp, adding rather duel them, rather shoot them .

fisk reacted outrage , media rights group reporters sans frontieres condemned malkovich, in online article index s associate editor (now deputy ceo) rohan jayasekera, dismissed actor s comments flippant in article on organisation s (www.indexonline.org) blog site:

over years since (the rwanda genocide), , not without criticism, index on censorship has turned reporting areas right free speech conflicts these other rights. index on censorship journalistic enterprise, not campaigning agency. has freed make judgement calls — equivocate — on when , , how , why freely expressed word can direct threat other human rights.

the fundraising event went ahead in december 2002 despite street protest outside ica. since taking on ceo in 2008 john kampfner has reinforced campaigning profile of organisation (see arts , advocacy programmes above).

theo van gogh

in november 2004, index on censorship attracted further controversy on indexonline.org blog post jayasekera that, many readers, seemed condone or justify murder of dutch film-maker theo van gogh. blog described van gogh free-speech fundamentalist on martyrdom operation[,] roar[ing] muslim critics silence obscenities in abuse of right free speech . describing van gogh s film submission furiously provocative , jayasekera concluded describing death as:

a sensational climax lifetime s public performance, stabbed , shot bearded fundamentalist, message killer pinned dagger chest, theo van gogh became martyr free expression. passing marked magnificent barrage of noise amsterdam hit streets celebrate him in way man himself have appreciated. , timing! long-awaited biographical film of pim fortuyn s life ready screen. bravo, theo! bravo!

there many protests both left- , right-wing commentators. nick cohen of observer newspaper wrote in december 2004, that:

when asked jayasekera if had regrets, said had none. told me that, many other readers, shouldn t have made mistake of believing index on censorship against censorship, murderous censorship, on principle – in same way amnesty international opposed torture, including murderous torture, on principle. may have been radical youth, concerned fighting hate speech protecting free speech.

ursula owen, chief executive of index on censorship while agreeing blog post s tone not right , contradicted cohen s account of conversation jayasekera in letter observer.

danish cartoons

in december 2009 magazine published interview jytte klausen refusal of yale university press include mohammed cartoons in klausen s book cartoons shook world. magazine declined include cartoons alongside interview.