Index on Censorship is a magazine founded by the writer Stephen Spender in 1972 to monitor and fight for freedom of speech, especially in Soviet Russia. In the UK, Index is supported by the Writers' and Scholars' Educational Trust . The American sponsor for Index is the Fund for Free Expression . The magazine has a circulation of around 5,000.
Index on Censorship is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, a virtual network of more than 60 non-governmental organisations that monitors free expression violations worldwide and campaigns to defend journalists, writers and human rights activists.
Contents
Issues are usually themed, and also contain a country-by-country list of recent incidents of censorship and other infringements of the freedom of the press. Occasionally the Index publishes short works of fiction and poetry by notable new writers. The magazine also runs annual Freedom of Expression awards.
Theo van Gogh Controversy
Index was recently involved in a controversy after publishing an article that to many readers seemed to condone or justify the murder of the Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh. The article, written by the magazine's Associate Editor Rohan Jayasekera, claimed that van Gogh was a "free-speech fundamentalist" who had been on a "martyrdom operation[,] roar[ing] his Muslim critics into silence with obscenities" in an "abuse of his right to free speech". Describing van Gogh's film Submission as "furiously provocative", Rohan concluded by describing his death as:
- A sensational climax to a lifetime's public performance, stabbed and shot by a bearded fundamentalist, a message from the killer pinned by a dagger to his chest, Theo van Gogh became a martyr to free expression. His passing was marked by a magnificent barrage of noise as Amsterdam hit the streets to celebrate him in the way the man himself would have truly appreciated.
- And what timing! Just as his long-awaited biographical film of Pim Fortuyn's life is ready to screen. Bravo, Theo! Bravo! [1]
There were many protests from both left- and right-wing commentators at the article, and Nick Cohen of the London Observer newspaper wrote in December 2004, that:
- When I asked Jayasekera if he had any regrets, he said he had none. He told me that, like many other readers, I shouldn't have made the mistake of believing that Index on Censorship was against censorship, even murderous censorship, on principle -- in the same way as Amnesty International is opposed to torture, including murderous torture, on principle. It may have been so its radical youth, but was now as concerned with fighting 'hate speech' as protecting free speech.[2]
Ursula Owen, editor-in-chief of Index apologised in mid-December 2004 for publishing the article, saying she didn't think "the tone is right"; but said she would not delete it from the online archives or dismiss the author from his job with Index. She did however repudiate Cohen's opinions in a letter to the Observer. [3]. Jayasekera himself has indeed expressed regrets and has put his own case for speaking his mind on Van Gogh's life legacy on the Index website.
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