Fight for freedom of speech, Salman Rushdie urges as he's honoured in London
Rushdie said attacks on journalists, writers and artists show a wider threat to free expression, as he accepted the Liberatum Cultural Honour.
- On Wednesday, Novelist Salman Rushdie received the Liberatum Cultural Honour in London, where the 79-year-old warned that freedom of speech faces a "real assault" worldwide.
- Rushdie's remarks follow decades of intimidation stemming from the 1988 publication of "The Satanic Verses," which Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini denounced as blasphemous, issuing a fatwa; a 2022 stabbing in New York compounded the threats.
- Rushdie specifically criticized authorities in India and America, telling Reuters he never expected an "assault on free speech" from "the land of the First Amendment." He noted attacks on journalists and writers demonstrate what authorities "think of free speech."
- Despite the 2022 attack leaving him blind in one eye, Rushdie remains prolific, saying "I'm fortunate to be all right" and confirming he has published three books in the last three years.
- The ceremony, held under the theme "Freedom of Expression," recognized his cross-cultural contributions and artistic achievement, reinforcing his status as a global figurehead amid ongoing threats to writers worldwide.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Mariana Mazzucato, Francesc Torralba, Michael Ignatieff, Cristina Monge, Nazareth Castellanos and Salman Rushdie agree on the need for optimism about the image of a world in ruins Read
Salman Rushdie Says America Is ‘Having a Very Difficult Moment’ With Free Speech as He Accepts Liberatum Award: ‘The Burden of Proof Must Always Lie on the Censor’
Salman Rushdie warns free speech in America faces a 'difficult moment' while honored at Londn's Camden Town Hall, where he once worked.
Salman Rushdie and Francis Ford Coppola Now Have One Thing in Common
Salman Rushdie at the Liberatum Cultural Honour ceremony. All photography by Ellen Kydd and courtesy of Liberatum. Freedom of speech is non-negotiable: that’s what cultural diplomacy organization Liberatum is founded upon, and its awarded its 14th Cultural Honour to someone who believes the same. Salman Rushdie—the Booker Prize-winning, Indian-born British and American author (and CULT100 cover star) famously attacked over his publication of The…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
