Censorship- Does it make a mockery of the arts? - Support

Executive summary (1/2)
60% of respondents across the Arab world do not think state censorship makes a
mockery of the arts.
Those in the GCC were the highest in opposing the motion
In the Levant opinion was largely divided
Among those surveyed across the region, the fact that it is ‘against freedom of
expression’ emerged as the main reason why they felt state censorship makes a
mockery of the arts. Many were also concerned it ‘blocks the message(s) the artist is
trying to convey’, that ‘each member of the society should be able to decide on
his/her own what they want to be exposed to rather than having it dictated by the
state’) and that ‘censorship is just another concept invented by those in power to
control the masses’.
On the other hand, those respondents who do not believe censorship makes a mockery
of the arts believe state ‘intervention’ is required as ‘art can be indecent and needs to be
censored before being shown to the general public’ and ‘to protect religious beliefs’. Just
under half of those surveyed across the region also believed censorship helps maintain
‘order’ within the society.
According to respondents across the region, censorship should be most applied on
Internet websites, music videos and the cinema
Very few believed censorship should not be applied at all (10% across of overall
sample).