Wednesday, May 18, 2016
MALAYSIA’S DEPUTY PM SUGGESTS POLICE ACTION AGAINST ZUNAR FOR EXHIBITING CARTOONS IN GENEVA
Zunar_Plantu_-Kofi-Annan“It is a duty of a cartoonist to expose corruption and injustices” — Zunar
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says he will leave it to the
police to decide whether to take action against Zunarfor exhibiting cartoons critical
of Prime Minister Najib Razak in Geneva. Last week
Malaysia’s Communications Minister Salleh Said
Keruak said that Zunar’s
cartoons targeting the scandal-plaguedadministration of Prime Minister
Najib could be considered“economic sabotage.” Zunar was asked to
exhibit his cartoons alongside those of East-African cartoonist Gado after the two cartoonists were
presented the 2016 Cartooning For Peace Award by former UN
secretary-general Kofi Annan. The award is presented to
cartoonists for “courage, talent and commitment to the values of peace and
tolerance — as well as for their fight for freedom of expression.”
Zunar issued a press release
in response to the Malaysian government’s new threats:
“For me, these are new plots by the authorities to
silence me. For years, I have been subjected to all sorts of harassments and
intimidations involving three laws — the Sedition Act, Printing & Presses Act and The Penal Code.
“I was arrested and put behind
bars twice and am now facing nine charges under the Sedition Act and facing
possible 43 years jail if found guilty.
“Seven of my books have been
banned, my office was raided several times, the bookstores and printers were
also raided. Thousands of books and original drawings and printing plates
were confiscated, my sale assistants were arrested and so was my online sale
manager.
“I would like to reiterate that:
talent is not a gift, but a responsibility. It is a duty of a cartoonist
to expose corruption and injustices. Freedom of expression is not a
prerogative of the government, but it is my right!”
Zunar-with-cartoon-exhibition-in-Geneva
Zunar is past recipient of CRNI’s Courage In Editorial
Cartooning Award,
the International Press Freedom Award, and has twice been presented the Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett
Award.
The cartoons on display in Geneva
exhibition, including the work of other Cartooning For Peace members, can be seen here. An educational supplement
to the exhibition catalogue can be seen here.
A highly placed Malaysian
government official has lashed out at the cartoonistZunar for exhibiting his political
cartoons in Geneva. Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruacsuggested that criticizing
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in a foreign country could be seen
as an act of “economic sabotage,” and
is part of a plan to “topple the prime
minister.” Zunar responded to the notion of a cartoon coup d’etat: “If a cartoonist
can topple the PM, that is not illegal, but hilarious.“
In response to Salleh’s statement
that “It is not wrong to have differences in opinion, or to disagree with the
government, but why involve other countries,” Zunar reminded
the minister that his books of cartoons disagreeing with the government have
been banned and confiscated in Malaysia since 2010, and he and his employees
jailed and harassed. Zunar is currently facing sedition charges for a
series of tweets. If found guilty, the cartoonist faces up to 43 years in
prison.
Along with Zunar’s work, the
Geneva exhibition includes cartoons by Kenya-based
cartoonist Gado and members of Cartooning For Peace. The exhibition was opened after Zunar and Gado were awarded the 2016
Cartooning For Peace Prize for showing courage in their fight for freedom of
expression. The exhibition will run through June 4.
In an open post, Zunar suggested
that Minister Salleh might better understand his cartoons by buying the
cartoonist’s latest book. “If you are still
not clear about my cartoons, you can come to my new book launch [for] WASABI (Wa Sapu Billion) on this Saturday (14th May) and
buy one. No, you cannot buy it at bookstores, because your ‘democratic’
government has banned it.
“
Zunar is past recipient of CRNI’s Courage In Editorial
Cartooning Award,
the International Press Freedom Award, and has twice been presented the Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett
Award.
5º Concurso Internacional del Cartón Sinaloa 2016
1.
PARTICIPATION
The Contest
is open to all cartoonists from all over the world and beyond.
2. THEME: ORGANIZED CRIME
More than ever, especially from the beginning of this
century, organized crime has become a serious threat to social stability in
many countries. In these cases the control organized crime imposes is
notorious. Through economical power and physical intimidation it has managed to
infiltrate every level of official government. It is responsible for
controlling the press and other mass media, even assassinating journalists. It
is said that it sponsors political campaigns, buy judges and other important
civil servants, including top military officers. It launders huge amounts of
money and owns countless “legitimate” businesses. At times it shows off the weight of its power
publicly. Finally, it is deeply involved in drug production, distribution and
trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, trafficking in women, terrorism and arms
sales, among many other illegal activities.
3. THE PRIZES
1st Prize: $27,000
Mexican pesos.
2nd Prize: $23,000 Mexican
pesos.
3rd Prize: $17,000 Mexican pesos.
Winners will be notified by e-mail after 1st.
September 2016.
4. ENTRIES
A maximum of 3 works can be submitted by E-mail in any
media, in black and white or colour, but they should not be currently
participating in other contests or have been awarded.
Works should have a minimum resolution of 200 dpi, size 21.5cms x 27.9cms. They should be sent
to any one of the following:
camino2@prodigy.net.mx
concursosinaloa2016@gmail.com
5.
DEADLINE: August 7th, 2016
6.
PLEASE FILL IN THE ENTRY FORM AND SEND IT TOGETHER WITH YOUR WORK (The entry
form can be downloaded from http://concursosinaloa2016.orgfree.com).
.
Name
.
Photograph
.
Address
.
E-mail
7.
A catalogue with the winners and selected works will be available on the web page
of the contest:
8.
Participants that were winners in 2015 can participate but if they win again
they will only be entitle to receive honorary mentions.
9.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
Copyright
belongs to authors. The Contest will use some works, but only for promotional
purposes, such as publicity, the catalogue and the press.
The event "Toscolano in volo" dedicated to celebrate kits (june 25th, 2016) proudly hosts CARTOO'N'KITE, international satirical grafic contest dedicated to kites.
Designers
artwork will be exposed in the main salon of "Il Castagneto " in
Toscolano, medioeval castle in Avigliano Umbro territory starting june 24th for
a week. First and second prize will be assigned by a qualified jury.
You can read the
partecipation rules as follows and then unload it, including
the partecipation form, clicking on the under placed link.
Theme: Kites
Deadline: June 10th 2016
“Cartoo’n’Kite” International Competition of
satirical design about Kite
1. “Toscolano in volo”, presents its first
edition of “Cartoo’n’Kite” - International competition of satirical design
dedicated to Kite
2. The theme of the competition: “Kite”
The artwork must be developed on a single table
in the maximum size UNI A4 (cm. 21 x 29.7 – 300 dpi). Any kind of graphical
technique will be accepted, including digital artworks if the prints are signed
and if they are print number one. Participation is for free, open to artists of
any nationality. The artwork must be original, copies will be not accepted. The
artwork must not have been published in the past. For minors require a
permission of a parent or his representative. Each author may participate with
one artwork. If sent more artworks the Guarantee Committee in its sole
discretion, will choose the work that will participate in the contest.
A Guarantee Committee - composed of
professionals and representatives of the cultural world will select the 30 most
significant artworks which will be exhibited at “Il Castagneto” of Toscolano.
The 30 finalist artworks will not be refunded and
will remain property of the Organizing Committee. Entries must be sent by
e-mail together with the registration form in full, duly completed and signed
no later than June 10th 2016 at: satirical.cartoon@gmail.com
The 30
finalist artists undertake to send the original artwork at:
Nicola Bucci - “Cartoo’n’Kite“
Via Nino Taranto, 30 A2/A
00125 - Roma – Italia
The artworks must indicate on the back: name,
surname and address of the author.
The artworks will not be refunded. The artworks
will be published on the official web sites of the competition. The 30
finalists artworks will be published on www.fieradelvinomontefiascone.it
. The Committee will declare the winner of “Cartoo’n’Kite”and it shall have the
right to assign any awards and special mentions.
3. The artworks which make it to the final
stage of the competition will be exhibited at “Il Castagneto” of Toscolano.
4. Every artist must justify the content of
their own artwork. The works that the Artistic Director receives could be
chosen for publication, distribution and any type of use . Artworks will remain
property of the organizing committee. All the competition participants
understand and agree to the terms of the competition stated implicitly here,
and accept, without any compensation, the exhibition of their artworks in or more
shows in the art exhibition. They also agreed to its publication in books, posters,
bookmarks, t-shirts or cute hats, calendars or agendas and on all the information
services. It will be obligatory for the name of the artist and the country of
origin and of the name of “Cartoo’n’Kite” to be included in every publication.
5. Prizes
“Cartoo’n’Kite” - 300 euro
“Toscolano in volo” - 200 euro
The jury shall have the right to assign any
awards and special mentions.
6. “Cartoo’n’Kite while remaining fully
committed to the care and protection of the works exhibited , does not take any
responsibility for any theft, damage or loss that might occur involving these
works from the moment they arrive till the close of the exhibition.
7. Participation in the event which is
completely free, implies total acceptance of these regulations. The Organising
Committee has the right and the responsibility to give the final decision
concerning controversial questions as well as on matters not explicitly
provided for.
For further information:
