U p F ront
C R E D I
T:
B a d i u c a o
29 FOG OF WAR MASKS
DESCENT INTO AUTHORITARIANISM: BEN LYNFIELD As independent media is eroded, is it too late for democracy in Israel?
32 MOVEMENT FOR THE
MISSING: ANMOL IRFAN, ZOFEEN T EBRAHIM Amid rising persecution in Pakistan, Baloch women speak up about forced disappearances
35 MENTAL MANIPULATION:
ALEXANDRA DOMENECH The treatment of dissidents in Russia now includes punitive psychiatry
37 THE FIGHT FOR INDIA’S
MEDIA FREEDOM: ANGANA CHAKRABARTI, AMIR ABBAS, RAVISH KUMAR Abuse of power, violence and a stifling political environment – daily challenges for journalists in India
40 A BLACK, GREEN AND
RED FLAG TO REPRESSION: MEHRAN FIRDOUS The pro-Palestine march in Kashmir that became a target for authorities
Special Report: Inconvenient Truths
46 CHOKED BY IDEOLOGY:
MURONG XUECUN, KASIM ABDUREHIM KASHGAR In China, science is served with a side of propaganda
51 SCRIPTURES OVER SCIENCE:
SALIL TRIPATHI When it comes to scientific advancement in India, Hindu mythology is taking priority
54 A CATALYST FOR
CORRUPTION: POURIA NAZEMI The deadly world of scientific censorship in Iran
57 TAINTED SCIENTISTS:
KATIE DANCEY-DOWNS Questioning animal testing is a top taboo
60 DEATH AND MINOR DETAILS:
DANSON KAHYANA For pathologists in Uganda the message is clear: don’t name the poison
62 THE DANGERS OF
BOYCOTTING RUSSIAN SCIENCE: JP O’MALLEY Being anti-war doesn’t stop Russian scientists getting removed from the equation
65 PUTTING POLITICS ABOVE
SCIENTIFIC TRUTH: DANA WILLBANKS Science is under threat in the USA, and here’s the evidence
68 THE SCIENCE OF PURGES:
KAYA GENÇ In Turkey, “terrorist” labels are hindering scientists
71 THE FIGHT FOR SCIENCE:
MARK STIMPSON Pseudoscience-buster Simon Singh reflects on whether the truth will out in today’s libellous landscape
Corrections and clarifications
The following corrections relate to Index Vol.53 No.2
P.86 In poet Bänoo Zan’s article, the second sentence should read “In dictatorships and totalitarian regimes, there is state censorship in the name of national security or cultural and religious identity.”
Zan has also published one book in Iran and two in Canada. The anthology that Zan is coediting will be published in 2025 P.108 Kerala is a state in India P.110 Upender Gundala is an assistant professor in the Department of English at The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU)
Comment
76 ON THE BRINK: JO-ANN MORT
This November, will US citizens vote for freedoms?
78 BAD SPORT: DAISY RUDDOCK
When it comes to statesponsored doping, Russia gets the gold medal
80 ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE:
MARTIN BRIGHT The legacy of the fall of the Iron Curtain, 35 years later
82 JUDGING JUDGES:
JEMIMAH STEINFELD Media mogul Jimmy Lai remains behind bars in Hong Kong, and a British judge bears part of the responsibility
Culture
86 THE GOOD, THE BAD
AND THE BEAUTIFUL: BORIS AKUNIN, SALLY GIMSON The celebrated author on how to tell a story, and an exclusive new translation
99 SONG FOR STARDUST:
JESSICA NÍ MHAINÍN, CHRISTY MOORE Celebrating the folk song that told the truth about an Irish tragedy, and was banned
102 PUT DOWN THAT BOOK!:
KATIE DANCEY-DOWNS, ALLISON BRACKEEN BROWN, AIXA AVILA-MENDOZA Two US teachers take their Banned Books Week celebrations into the world of poetry
104 KEEPING LITVINENKO’S
VOICE ALIVE: MARINA LITVINENKO The activist and widow of poisoned Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko has the last word
INDEXONCENSORSHIP.ORG
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Jemimah Steinfeld ACTING EDITOR Sally Gimson ASSISTANT EDITOR Katie Dancey-Downs EDITOR-AT-LARGE Martin Bright ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mark Stimpson ART DIRECTOR Matthew Hasteley EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Daisy Ruddock SUB EDITORS Adam Aiken, Tracey Bagshaw, Jan Fox CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kaya Genç, Emily Couch, Danson Kahyana, Salil Tripathi HEAD OF POLICY & CAMPAIGNS Jessica Ní Mhainín POLICY & CAMPAIGNS OFFICER Nik Williams DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FUNDRAISING & EVENTS Anna Millward DIRECTORS & TRUSTEES Trevor Phillips (Chair), Kate Maltby (Vice Chair), Anthony Barling, Andrew Franklin, James Goode, Helen Mountfield, Elaine Potter, Mark Stephens, Nick Timothy, Ian Rosenblatt PATRONS Margaret Atwood, Simon Callow, Steve Coogan, Brian Eno, Christopher Hird, Jude Kelly, Michael Palin, Matthew Parris, Alexandra Pringle, Gabrielle Rifkind, Sir Tom Stoppard, Lady Sue Woodford Hollick ADVISORY COMMITTEE Julian Baggini, Jeff Wasserstrom, Emma Briant, Ariel Dorfman, Michael Foley, Conor Gearty, AC Grayling, Lyndsay Griffiths, William Horsley, Anthony Hudson, Natalia Koliada, Jane Kramer, Jean-Paul Marthoz, Robert McCrum, Rebecca MacKinnon, Beatrice Mtetwa, Julian Petley, Michael Scammell, Kamila Shamsie, Michael Smyth, Tess Woodcraft, Christie Watson
INDEXONCENSORSHIP.ORG 3
