Writers protest Hebdo prize

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 64 table 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.