Threats against free expression and artistic freedom in Asia continue to rise, with artists becoming increasingly vulnerable to violent attacks, censorship, and persecution. Artists throughout the region have been particularly impacted by a recent spate of legislative efforts that seek to encroach on digital security rights, curb “fake news,” and suppress criticism against the government or ruling party in the state.

In light of these concerning developments, PEN America’s Artists at Risk Connection is releasing Connecting the Dots: Artist Protection & Artistic Freedom in Asia, a new report that illuminates the challenges to artistic freedom that artists in the region face. Based on a closed workshop conducted in November 2021, the report was produced in partnership with the Mekong Cultural Hub (MCH) and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA).

Throughout the report, artists and creative practitioners from across South, Southeast, East, and Central Asia express their growing anxieties around stringent security laws, the dwindling number of unencumbered spaces for free expression, and the impact of emerging authoritarian measures to crack down on artistic production and criminalize free expression.

To download the full report, click here