Måned: februar 2015

Birgithe Kosovic og Niels Ivar Larsen, der begge er medlemmer af Dansk PENs bestyrelse, udsendte den 20. Februar i PENs navn en pressemeddelelse vedrørende aflysning af et debatmøde med titlen Er religionskritik blevet tabu i Danmarks Radio. Aflysningen blev begrundet i at PET ikke fandt det relevant at stille særlige sikkerhedsforanstaltninger til rådighed.

Debatmødet var planlagt af de to bestyrelsesmedlemmer, og har ikke på noget tidspunkt været annonceret af PEN, som derfor heller ikke har været indblandet i forhandlingerne med PET. Dansk PEN har igennem mange år haft et glimrende samarbejde med PET og ser ingen grund til at betvivle PETs vurdering af, at det pågældende møde kunne gennemføres uden politiets medvirken.

Dansk PENs holdning og opfordring er fortsat, at vi ikke skal lade frygt styre den offentlige debat.

A Statement From The Nordic PEN Centres Regarding The Attacks in Copenhagen

The attack on the Saturday meeting in Copenhagen, where people came together to discuss freedom of expression in the face of blasphemy, and the subsequent shooting at the city’s synagogue, is a chilling reminder that the open societies of the North European countries are also faced with threats against their core values: Free exchange of ideas in a secular society. These cruel attempts at suppression and the loss of life they brought with them can only be lamented and condemned in the strongest terms.

That the events take place on the 25th anniversary of Iran’s fatwa against the British-Indian author Salman Rushdie underscores that freedom of expression is universal and cross-cultural. Today censorship and violence threatens authors, visual artists and cartoonists, in far, far, to many societies. The Nordic PEN Centres will continue to fight for their rights to express themselves without persecution, both at home and abroad.

The Nordic countries have a long history of respecting freedom of expression and encouraging sharp social criticism in all media. Recently an international survey listed Denmark as one of the most free countries in the world. We will not allow the forces of intolerance to destroy that with their crude tactics.

Dansk PEN – The Danish PEN Centre / Norsk P.E.N. – The Norwegian PEN Centre  / PEN á Íslandi – The Icelandic PEN / Centre Suomen PEN – The Finnish PEN  / Centre Svenska P.E.N. – The Swedish PEN Centre