The IPA confirms its freedom to publish programme for Frankfurt Book Fair with an open Freedom to Publish Committee meeting and a seminar hosted by the Norway Guest of Honour programme featuring relatives of two Prix Voltaire laureates and more.
Mauritanian blogger, Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed Mkhaitir, was freed on 30 July following nearly two years of effective house arrest and 6 year after his initial arrest in 2014 for a Facebook post criticizing the use of religion to justify discriminatory practices.
IPA President Hugo Setzer attended the Lima International Book Fair from 22-25 July, taking part in discussions around VAT and elivering a keynote on the Freedom to Publish.
IPA President Hugo Setzer attended the Beijing International Book Fair from 21-23 August holding several high-level meetings.
Alongside the Award ceremony for the 2019 IPA Prix Voltaire, the 2019 Seoul International Book Fair also hosted a two-part seminar on Freedom to Publish featuring IPA President, Hugo Setzer, the Chair of IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, Kristenn Einarsson, and Committee member Myung-hwan Kim.
June 17-18, IPA President, Hugo Setzer and Secretary General, José Borghino, visited Berlin to have high level meetings with the Federation of European Publishers and the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels.
The emotional ceremony for the IPA 2019 Prix Voltaire was held in Seoul, Korea on 21 June where Khaled Lotfy’s brother, Mahmoud, received the prize on his behalf and delivered a powerful speech asking for Egyptian President el-Sisi to grant the publisher a pardon.
The professional section of the Geneva Book Fair programme featured a session on censorship this year. IPA’s Director of Communications and Freedom to Publish, James Taylor, moderated the session which featured the President of PEN Club France, Emmanuel Pierrat, Alexis Krikorian of Amnesty International and Madame Kadiatou Konaré of Cauris Livres.
