An awards initiative always worth watching out for is the Index on Censorship’s Freedom of Expression prizes, which celebrate artists, journalists and campaigners who stand up to some of the most oppressive regimes (and bullying leaders) in the world. Wang Liming, the cartoonist known as Rebel Pepper, is among the 16 nominees for the 17th edition of the awards. The caustic commentator, now in exile in Japan, often lampoons China’s president, Xi Jinping (the artist’s social media accounts have subsequently been deleted, he says). The winners are due to be announced on 19 April at the Unicorn Theatre in London; the judges include the former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown.