Authors Saviano, Rushdie say free speech under threat (News Feature)

By Lennart Simonsson Nov 26, 2008, 7:57 GMT

Stockholm - Freedom of speech is under threat worldwide Italian author Roberto Saviano and British author Salman Rushdie said late Tuesday at a lecture organized by the Swedish Academy.

Journalists and writers in countries ranging from China to Mexico to Zimbabwe are under threat, they said, reminding the audience of the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Russia.

Saviano and Rushdie were invited to Stockholm by the Swedish Academy that selects the Nobel literature prize winner. Both also shared their own experiences of living under death threats.

In 1989, the academy was deeply divided over how to respond to the death threat issued by Iran's religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini against Rushdie over his novel The Satanic Verses that was labelled as blasphemous.

Two of the 18 members, who are appointed for life, gave up active work to protest the academy's decision not to sign an appeal condemning the death threat along with other freedom of speech groups.

One of the former members, author Kerstin Ekman, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa after the lecture that she welcomed the initiative to host the two authors and admired them for having been able to 'keep their sense of humour.'

Some 450 people attended the discussion held at The Grand Hall of the Swedish Academy's headquarters located in Stockholm's Old Town.

Before entering the 18th century building, visitors had to present proof of identification and a special invitation card. Security guards were posted around the podium throughout the presentations.

Saviano's book, Gomorra, has triggered death threats by the mafia, or Camorra, in Naples as he had named members of the criminal gangs that cash in on illegal dealings.

Writing was a 'form of resistance,' Saviano said.

Horace Engdahl, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, described Saviano's book was 'a fine specimen of witness literature.'

The 'globalization of menace' meant that there was need for more joint efforts to protect freedom of speech and writers, Engdahl said.

In their remarks, both Saviano - speaking in Italian - and Rushdie touched on their reactions of anger and sorrow over allegations that they had sought 'the limelight', or in Saviano's case, had wanted to 'vilify my own country' over their writings.

Saviano said his initial response when he learned of the threats against him were that it was 'unjust'.

'Your own words have taken away your freedom, your freedom to walk, to exist,' he said.

Rushdie recalled an earlier meeting with Saviano in New York and told the audience, including a handful of members of the Swedish Academy, the Italian ambassador to Sweden and publishers, how his years with police protection had enabled him to immediately 'spot police officers' in hotel lobbies and other public spaces.

Writers living under death threats also had to struggle with 'how to lead a life,' Rushdie said, noting how practical details like booking an airline ticket or finding a secure house took up a lot of time.

Rushdie said he feared there was 'a narrowing of boundaries' about what was allowed to be said or discussed in the public domain.

Italian ambassador Anna Della Croce Brigante Colonna told dpa that she hoped the discussion and public awareness would help Saviano and Rushdie.

On Wednesday a movie based on Saviano's book was to be screened at the ongoing Stockholm Film Festival.