WEB Shibli's Lawsuit Against taz Dismissed
A Victory for Freedom of Expression
Hundreds of Authors and Publishers Protest Treatment of Palestinian Writers
Award-winning Palestinian author Adania Shibli's lawsuit against taz, a German newspaper, has been dismissed. The lawsuit stemmed from an article published by taz in 2019 that Shibli claimed defamed her and violated her privacy. However, a court in Berlin ruled that the article was protected by freedom of expression laws. The article in question discussed Shibli's novel "Minor Detail", which is based on the true story of a 1949 rape and murder of a Palestinian woman. The taz article alleged that Shibli had fabricated parts of the story, which she denied. Shibli's lawsuit was supported by hundreds of authors and publishers around the world, who signed a letter protesting the treatment of Palestinian writers. They argued that the taz article was part of a wider pattern of harassment and intimidation of Palestinian writers. The court's decision to dismiss Shibli's lawsuit has been welcomed by freedom of expression advocates. They argue that the ruling sends a clear message that authors should not be afraid to write about sensitive topics, even if their work is controversial.Shibli said she was disappointed by the court's decision, but she vowed to continue to write about the experiences of Palestinian people.
"I will not be silenced," she said. "I will continue to write about the truth, even if it makes some people uncomfortable."
Comments