Peter Carey among writers to protest PEN honour for Charlie Hebdo

Writers withdraw from literary and human rights organisation’s American Center gala, citing objection to award for the French satirical magazine

First edition of Charlie Hebdo published after terrorist attack: PEN says the writers are upset by Charlie Hebdo’s portrayals of Muslims and ‘the disenfranchised generally’. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

Associated Press

Monday 27 April 201 The Guardian

Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Francine Prose, and at least three other writers have withdrawn from next month’s PEN American Center gala, citing objections to the literary and human rights organisation’s honouring of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

PEN announced on Sunday that the writers were upset by Charlie Hebdo’s portrayals of Muslims and “the disenfranchised generally”. The Paris-based magazine, at whose offices 12 people were killed in a January attack, is to receive a Freedom of Expression Courage award at the 5 May event in Manhattan. Much of the literary community rallied behind Charlie Hebdo after the shootings, but some have expressed unhappiness with its scathing cartoons of the prophet Muhammad and other Muslims
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