ARTICLE 19, an international human rights organization based in the United Kingdom, has strongly condemned the attack on writer Salman Rushdie in New York on 12 August 2022.
The rights body promoting freedom of expression and the protection of journalists, writers, and artists around the world views this act of violence as a profound assault on freedom of expression, said a media statement on Wednesday.
The writer was attacked while preparing to give a lecture on the importance of the United States offering asylum for writers and other artists in exile.
His novel “The Satanic Verses” was published in 1988. Accusing him of blasphemy for the novel, Iran's former Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa to kill the writer the following year. After that fatwa for decades, the groups and individuals who do not believe in free expression targeted Salman for his words and drove him into years of hiding.
In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday, Faruq Faisel, regional director for ARTICLE 19 South Asia, said: ‘‘If the religious belief approves that killing humans is a holy act – then it is unfortunate. Encouraging anyone to kill other human beings in the name of religion and issuing a fatwa to kill someone is unacceptable. This attack to silence dissent is a blow to every individual across the world who believes in and stands for the universal right of free expression. The Iranian authorities must immediately lift the fatwa against Salman Rushdie.’’
Faruq Faisel further said: ‘‘The attack on Rushdie cannot be viewed as an isolated assault as people who dissent are always under threat around the world. In Bangladesh, writers had been and continue to be threatened, attacked, and even killed for their dissent. We condemn and protest every such incident and call on the Bangladesh authorities to ensure the freedom and protection of dissidents.”
ARTICLE 19 is reminded once more that the international community, national governments, and all of us have a moral duty to stand up to threats to freedom of expression and artistic freedom. We are also calling on leaders, including religious figures and intellectuals, to speak up whenever the free expression is threatened by intolerance and bigotry, the statement added.