Index on Censorship magazine podcasts

Six months after the handover of Hong Kong from British rule, Index on Censorship published a special edition: Hong Kong Goes Back. In it various people predicted what the future might hold. Jonathan Mirsky, then East Asia editor of The Times, wrote on how freedom of expression began to crumble in Hong Kong in anticipation of the handover. He described how news channels reported on China in a “vapid or grovelling” manner, democratic politicians spoke of their colleagues no longer wanting to be associated with them and organisations were expected to plan celebrations for the handover. Mirsky predicted a dismal future where loyalty to Beijing would be an overriding expectation.

Twenty-five years later his predictions have sadly been realised. The situation is grave, perhaps even worse than Mirksy's fears. Just how grave? Are there any freedoms left? And what can we, over in the UK, do to help?

A panel of people who all once called Hong Kong home will share their thoughts and experiences. On the panel will be Benedict Rogers, the CEO of Hong Kong Watch, Hong Kong journalist Kris Cheng, Mark Clifford, President of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, Evan Fowler, a writer and researcher on Hong Kong and China, and activist and author Nathan Law. The discussion will be chaired by Index on Censorship's current magazine editor, Jemimah Steinfeld, who has lived in China.

This event is organised in partnership with the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong.

Palestianian novelist Abbad Yahya speaks about the difficult choices for those living in the West Bank and the effects of censorship

Index's editorial assistant Benjamin Lynch talks to comedian and author Andrew Doyle about his new book, "Free Speech and Why It Matters". They discuss incitement and his thoughts on why President Donald Trump shouldn't have been removed from Twitter, as well as the state of free speech on the left and right.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index's associate editor Mark Frary talks to Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been in prison in Iran for the past five years. He talks about the end of her house arrest, what has got her through solitary confinement and the attitude of the British government to her case and other Britons imprisoned in the country.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index’s Benjamin Lynch talks to author, historian and modern China expert Jeff Wasserstrom about why China censors, the Chinese Communist Party's growing influence and what their censorship policies mean for the rest of the world.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index's Mark Frary talks to actor and barrister Shereener Browne. Browne talks about the drill music scene and her fight to stop censorship of the genre by the government and Metropolitan Police. She talks about how the black community has been singled out by the authorities and how banning the music, which often has violent lyrics, does not solve the problem of gang violence.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index's Mark Frary talks to Rahima Mahmut, Uighur singer and UK project director of the World Uyghur Congress. She discusses why the world is afraid of China's power and the plight of the Uighur people. She also talks of the importance of cultural memories, including song and poetry, and her concerns for the future.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index's Mark Frary talks to Dr Tunc Aybak, programme leader of the international politics degree at Middlesex University, about the trials of Alexei Navalny in Russia, Putin's Palace and the golden toilet brush revolution. He discusses political technology and the state of the media in the country.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index's Benjamin Lynch talks to youth activist Thay Graciano, co-founder of Skaped, about the importance of young activism and people self-censoring themselves on US college campuses, as well as the problems caused by Jair Bolsonaro in her birth country of Brazil. She also talks of working with arts organisations in Belarus.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.

Index's associate editor Mark Frary talks to groundbreaking electro-pop artist LAYKE, who has worked with Snoop Dogg and is an activist fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights. We discuss racial equality in a Black Lives Matter world, the task facing Joe Biden, growing up in Texas and her pansexuality.

Index on Censorship's What the Fuck!? podcast invites politicians, activists, journalists and celebrities to talk about the worst things going on in the world, why you should care and why you should swear.