Stephane Charbonnier, the publishing director of Charlie Hebdo, displays the front page of the newspaper as he poses for photographers in Paris, 2012. Photo / AP / Michael Euler
Stephane Charbonnier, the publishing director of Charlie Hebdo, displays the front page of the newspaper as he poses for photographers in Paris, 2012. Photo / AP / Michael Euler
Criticism of the PEN American Centre's decision to honour the French magazine Charlie Hebdo continues as more than 30 writers, including Junot Diaz and Joyce Carol Oates, signed a letter calling the award "particularly disheartening".
The letter, dated April 26, follows PEN's announcement last weekend that six out of 64table hosts for the literary and human rights organisation's May 5 gala were withdrawing.
The protesting writers, who also include Michael Ondaatje and Peter Carey, have cited what they consider Charlie Hebdo's offensive cartoons of Muslims.
PEN is awarding Charlie Hebdo a freedom of expression prize after the magazine's Paris offices were the site of a deadly shooting. Salman Rushdie has been a leading defender of the prize.
