Khaled Lutfi Wins 2019 IPA Prix Voltaire
Imprisoned Egyptian publisher Khaled Lutfi has been selected for the International Publishers Association’s 2019 Prix Voltaire, which supports defenders of freedom to publish. The presentation of the 2019 IPA Prix Voltaire will take place on 21 June 2019 Seoul International Book Fair.
On February 4, Khalid Lutfi (also written Lotfy), founder of Cairo’s Tanmia Bookshop and Publishing, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of "divulging military secrets and spreading rumors" for having distributed an Arabic translation of the book The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel, by Uri Bar-Joseph.
Kristenn Einarsson, chair of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee said: “The international publishing community stands with Khaled Lutfi. We must support Lutfi’s fellow publishers in Egypt so that his imprisonment does not lead to fear and self-censorship in a country of such rich literary heritage.” José Borghino, IPA secretary general, added: “IPA calls on President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to grant Khaled Lutfi a presidential pardon.”
