Freemuse

Freemuse is shocked by the murder of Russian artist and satirist Robert Kuzovkov, 44, who was shot dead in the eastern Polish town of Biała Podlaska at around 10:00 am on Monday, 15 June. Kuzovkov, who worked under the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, had been living in exile in Poland since 2021. Polish police have reportedly detained two Belarusian nationals in connection with the case, though they have not yet been charged.

Skrepetsky was known for his satirical paintings depicting political figures including Vladimir Putin, and Ramzan Kadyrov, the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Just three days before his murder, Skrepetsky travelled to Berlin on Russia Day, a 12 June holiday marking the country’s declaration of sovereignty before the collapse of the Soviet Union. There, he staged a performance outside the Russian Embassy on Unter den Linden, carrying his painting of Stalin cradling Putin as a baby and dragging a Russian flag behind him.

Freemuse commends the Polish authorities for their swift action in arresting the suspects. Early reports in the Polish media strongly suggest that his murder may have been politically motivated.

Russian artist and critic of Putin and Chechen leader shot dead in ⁠Poland Two Belarusians ⁠detained over attack on Robert ⁠Kuzovkov, who is also known as Semyon Skrepetsky

Webinar: Advancing Artistic Freedom

Join Chapter54 and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for a free information session on artistic freedom and how UN human rights and UNESCO mechanisms can support artists and cultural practitioners across Africa.

Guest Speakers: Minjae Lee, OHCHR; Lisa Sidambe, Freemuse; Ioana-Maria Tamas, UNESCO; and Javan The Poet.

📅 June 23, 2026

⏰ 10:00am GMT

🔗 Register free: https://tally.so/r/5BE6bd

Ahead of Hungary’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council in November 2026, Freemuse, AICA International, and AICA Hungary have submitted a joint report calling attention to ongoing threats to artistic freedom.

The report warns that artists and cultural workers continue to face indirect forms of control, including politically influenced cultural institutions, centralised and non-transparent funding systems, restrictions targeting LGBTI+ expression, and legislation that risks limiting civic and cultural space.

Hungary’s new leadership has spoken of transparency and dialogue. To make those commitments meaningful, the government must protect dissenting voices, guarantee independent cultural funding, remove undue restrictions on foreign-funded cultural actors, and safeguard artistic expression for all.

Read the UPR report here: https://www.freemuse.org/political-control-and-restrictive-laws-continue-to-undermine-artistic-freedom-in-hungary

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

In Malta there is “… an environment where artistic freedom isn’t directly censored, but rather shaped through subtler mechanisms: who gets invited, who gets funded, and who doesn’t. It’s not always about the quality of work, but about alignment, reputation, and tone.”

Freemuse Research Director, Sara Whyatt, interviewed Maltese artist Rachelle Bezzina on how freedom of artistic expression functions within a small state where the distance between central government and individuals is short, where there is little space for anonymity. How effective is ‘arm’s length’ policy in these countries, where funders and sponsors often closely connected with the political classes decide who does and who doesn’t get support.

She calls for artists to foster greater freedom by creating independent spaces and alternative networks outside of the traditional structures.

Read more here: https://www.freemuse.org/rachelle-bezzina-artistic-freedom-exists-in-the-spaces-we-carve-out-for-ourselves

Photo: Kels Camera

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.

Ahead of Tanzania’s UN Human Rights Council review on 5 November 2026, Freemuse and Selam have submitted a joint Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on artistic freedom in the country. The UPR process of every UN member State takes place every four and a half years.

While noting progress since 2021, including reduced artist fees and commitments to support the arts, the report raises serious concerns about censorship, restrictive permit systems, repression of dissenting artists, and shrinking civic space.

Freemuse and Selam call for legal reform, independent regulatory bodies, and an end to censorship mechanisms that undermine artistic freedom.

Read the UPR report here:

Minimal reforms are inadequate: Artistic and artists’ rights continue to be repressed in Tanzania - Freemuse Ahead of the United Republic of Tanzania’s appearance before the UN Human Rights Council on 5 November 2026, Freemuse and Selam have submitted a joint Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report commenting on the state of artistic freedom in Tanzania. The UPR process of every UN member State is conduct...

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/