A British performing artist who has been prevented from publishing his memoir as a result of legal action brought by his ex-wife is to ask the supreme court to overturn the ban, arguing that it poses a dangerous threat to free speech. The artist
referred to only as MLA, as a consequence of the extensive secrecy surrounding the case, is being supported by human rights groups and a leading writers' organisation, which also believe that an injunction imposed by a lower court presents a serious
risk to the right to freedom of expression. The temporary injunction was imposed by the court of appeal last October after lawyers representing the artist's ex-wife argued that his book's descriptions of the sexual abuse that he suffered as a
child were so disturbing that their son would suffer catastrophic psychological distress if he were to read it. This claim is disputed by MLA, who also believes that it is particularly important that the voices of survivors of sexual abuse are not
stifled. The book recounts the way in which the artist, who is well known in his field, suffered years of sexual abuse while at school, and found a way though his art of dealing with the trauma of his past. The writers' association English PEN,
Article 19 and Index on Censorship, which defend and promote free speech, will seek to join the supreme court hearing, to argue that the court of appeal's judgment could have a chilling effect on other writers tackling difficult subjects, should it be
allowed to stand. The supreme court agreed that it would hear the case in the new year. | 
