Cartoonists Rights

Signatory organisations, IFEX among them, call for an end to the needlessly cruel and protracted detention of Ashraf Omar, the dismissal of the baseless criminal charges against him, and for his immediate release and safe return to family and friends.

CARTOONISTS RIGHTS responds to a rash of commentary and punitive actions from political figures and their allies against popular press cartoonists in their respective countries.

Two veteran cartoonists in Malaysia – Fahmi Reza and Zunar – could face possible criminal investigations for their online commentary and artwork.

After the death of a detained writer, groups have been calling for the release of cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, whose health has recently deteriorated.

Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore was arrested in May 2020 under the Digital Security Act after he posted on Facebook a series of cartoons he entitled “Life in the Time of Corona”, satirizing and criticizing the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This cartoon strip by Suhail Naqshbandi is published by Cartoonists Rights Network International a year after the repeal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and also the shutdown of the internet in the region.

“Cartoonists are often among the first to feel the effects of such a crisis, to the worst extent, and yet can be overlooked thereafter”.

During the month of May alone, at least 16 journalists and bloggers were charged under the 2018 Digital Security Act. They were charged for posting information and criticized the government’s COVID-19 response.