Iran may exit FIBF protesting Salman Rushdie’s presence
The writer is supposed to address a session at the book fair and the Iranian official Seyed Abbas Salehi dubbed it is an ‘uncultural move’ and has objected to it. “I believe that the program which is planned by the book fair is among the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the Islamic Guidance and Culture Ministry and it is indeed an uncultural move,” Salehi said.
Referring to Imam Khomeini’s fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie for his desecration of prophet of Islam in his book which stirred massive protests and anger among Muslim countries Salei asserted that the issue still held a religious aspect.
The Iranian official urged the organizers of the book fair to call off the program.
The 67th Frankfurt Book Fair is scheduled to be held in the German city from October 14 to 18, 2015. According to the event’s website, Salman Rushdie is planned to discuss “the significance of freedom of expression for authors and the book industry” in a speech.
The British Indian novelist and writer was sentenced to death in a Fatwa for insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, which was written in 1988 and sparked global protests by Muslims around the world.
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