ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) 鈥 As one of the Arab world鈥檚 largest book fairs opens in Algeria on Wednesday, there is one conspicuous absence. French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud, who won France鈥檚 most prestigious literary award earlier this week, was not invited to this year鈥檚 event.
This year鈥檚 Prix Goncourt winner and his French publisher Gallimard 鈥 a regular participant 鈥 are among those who won鈥檛 be welcomed at the Algiers International Book Fair. The exclusion of several prominent authors and publishers from this year鈥檚 event reflects the ongoing limitations on freedom of expression in Algeria.
Daoud鈥檚 novels and their subject matter often polarize opinions in both France, where he lives, and Algeria, where he was born. His Goncourt-winning third novel Houris (Virgins, in English) centers on the memories of victims of Algeria鈥檚 鈥淏lack Decade.鈥 After Islamists won the first round of legislative elections in 1990, Algeria descended into civil war after the second round was canceled by the military-backed government.
Though memories of that history loom large, Houris will not be among the more than 300,000 titles available at the book fair, which is being marketed under the slogan 鈥淩ead to Triumph鈥 and billed for having a special focus on history.
Ali Bey, the owner of Algiers鈥 Librarie du Tiers Monde, said he was 鈥渄elighted鈥 to see Daoud鈥檚 international recognition but lamented that Algerian readers would not be able to purchase his novels.
The censorship extends beyond Daoud and Gallimard. Koukou Publishing, an independent Algerian house led by former political activist Arezki Ait Larbi, has also been excluded from this year鈥檚 festival. Koukou 鈥 known for publishing works by essayists, novelists and journalists whose writings often challenge official narratives 鈥 wasn鈥檛 invited either, Ait Larbi wrote in a Facebook post.
鈥淥ur house is under threat of a complete ban from publishing,鈥 Ait Larbi said, accusing the Ministry of Culture鈥檚 censors of targeting his books.
