As the controversy surrounding Salman Rushdie’s withdrawal from the Jaipur Literary Festival rumbles on, Indian writers are organising against censorship
Zhu Yufu, a poet and activist, was last week charged with crimes relating to subversion for writing and publishing a poem online. The poem, It’s Time, has been translated by A.E. Clark:
It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
The Square belongs to everyone.
With your own two feet
It’s time to head to the Square and make your choice.It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
A song belongs to everyone.
From your own throat
It’s time to voice the song in your heart.It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
China belongs to everyone.
Of your own will
It’s time to choose what China shall be.
Zhu is not new to activism, he was involved in the Democracy Wall movement in 1979. He was formally arrested last April for publishing the poem online, as China began a fierce clampdown on dissent.
A number of artists and writers have been imprisoned in recent weeks for word crimes. Activists Chen Xi and Chen Wei, and writer Li Tie, now face sentences of between nine to 10 years.
Chen Wei was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for inciting subversion, while Chen Xi and Li Tie face 10 years in jail for subversion, a more serious charge. Joshua Rosenzweig, Research Manager at the Duihua Foundation, an organisation seeking clemency and improved treatment for at-risk detainees, notes that, “as far as the law is concerned, ‘subversion’ and ‘inciting subversion’ are not synonymous or interchangeable. The difference has important ramifications.”
Quoting China’s Criminal Law, Article 105, Rosenzweig writes that subversion refers to the following:
Among those who organize, plot or carry out acts to subvert the state power or overthrow the socialist system, the ringleaders and the others who commit major crimes shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment of not less than 10 years;
The latter, “inciting subversion” is defined as:
Whoever incites others by spreading rumors or slanders or any other means to subvert state power or overthrow the socialist system shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; and the ringleaders and the others who commit major crimes shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years.
There can be no doubt that China is displaying less tolerance for words of dissent. Zhu Yufu’s sentence is likely to be lengthy.
Author Salman Rushdie has been forced out of the Jaipur Literary Festival, after receiving information suggesting hit-men had been ordered to assassinate him.
Muslim leaders had been calling for Indian-born Rushdie to be banned from the festival. Rushdie’s 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses, which is inspired by the life of Muhammed, was perceived by Muslims to be blasphemous. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against Rushdie, calling on all good Muslims to kill the author. The book was banned across the world, including in India, where it is still banned.
This morning Rushdie announced his withdrawal from the festival.
Salman issued the following statement:
“For the last several days I have made no public comment about my proposed trip to the Jaipur Literary Festival at the request of the local authorities in Rajasthan, hoping that they would put in place such precautions as might be necessary to allow me to come and address the Festival audience in circumstances that were comfortable and safe for all.
I have now been informed by intelligence sources in Maharashtra and Rajasthan that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld may be on their way to Jaipur to “eliminate” me. While I have some doubts about the accuracy of this intelligence, it would be irresponsible of me to come to the Festival in such circumstances; irresponsible to my family, to the festival audience, and to my fellow writers. I will therefore not travel to Jaipur as planned.”
Following the announcement, writer Salil Tripathi, who wrote about the controversy surrounding Rushdie’s visit earlier this week, suggested all writers at the festival should read from The Satanic Verses:
All writers in jaipur shd read 2-3 pages in public from satanic verses (500+pages). A gandhian way to fight the ban and state’s cowardice.
— Salil Tripathi (@saliltripathi) January 20, 2012
Author Hari Kunzru agreed, and planned, alongside academic Amitava Kumar, to do just that.
About to defy bigots and shoe throwers, reading @SalmanRushdie Satanic Verses on stage with @amitavakumar at #jaipur#jlf
— Hari Kunzru (@harikunzru) January 20, 2012
Kumar tweeted:
Writers: assassins shouldn’t be allowed to stifle writers join us in reading from Satanic Verses. @harikunzru Jaipur Durbar Hall 5.15 PM
— Amitava Kumar (@amitavakumar) January 20, 2012
Organisers apparently ended the protest, warning those that individuals could face police action for reading a banned book.
Authors at #JLF who read @SalmanRushdie Satanic Verses + organizers now being investigated by police for reading fr a banned book
— Stephanie Nolen (@snolen) January 20, 2012
A Colombian news network has accused Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro of operating a “totalitarian” approach to the press. In a web article published on Tuesday, CM& said Petro handling of the press was on an “alarming and disturbing” slope. The allegations followed a recent press conference on a bullfighting ban, where Petro allegedly refused to allow journalists to use their own equipment CM& claims the Mayor’s team provided their own, edited footage instead. The Mayor claimed the allegations were “insulting”.