Arundhati Roy receives PEN Pinter Prize 2024, calls attention to Palestinian struggles
Shares PEN Pinter Prize 2024 with jailed Egyptian writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah
►Donates prize money to Palestinian children
London: Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy was honoured with the PEN Pinter Prize 2024 during a ceremony at the British Library in London, sharing the accolade with Egyptian writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah, recognised as the Writer of Courage 2024 by English PEN.
In her acceptance speech, Roy committed to raising awareness about the ongoing struggles faced by Palestinians, expressing solidarity with political prisoners in India. She announced that her share of the prize money would be donated to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. Roy emphasised the importance of Abd el-Fattah’s voice, stating, “We are listening, Alaa. Closely.”
Roy also addressed the harsh realities of oppression, focusing on the violence faced by Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. She condemned the ongoing military actions by Israel, which she characterised as genocidal, citing an official death toll of 42,000, with a majority being women and children. She urged for global awareness and action against such atrocities.
Reflecting on historical injustices, Roy criticised past U.S. foreign policy decisions for contributing to the current crisis. She contested the narrative framing the conflict as one of equal aggression, asserting that Israel’s occupation and oppression of Palestinians are the root causes of the violence.
Concluding her speech, Roy challenged the audience to consider the moral implications of inaction and to recognise the humanity of those suffering under occupation. She called for questioning the complicity of their own governments in supporting oppressive regimes, emphasising the urgency of addressing Palestinian rights and the broader implications of state-sponsored violence.
Roy shared her PEN Pinter Prize 2024 with jailed Egyptian writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah. Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian writer and activist, has been imprisoned in Egypt for over five years for his outspoken defence of freedom of expression. His writings from prison, including social media posts, were compiled in the 2021 book You Have Not Yet Been Defeated, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. Abd el-Fattah's work has garnered international attention, highlighting the risks faced by those who speak out against oppressive regimes.
According to Abd el-Fattah’s lawyer, Khaled Ali, the activist was initially expected to complete his sentence on 29 September 2024. However, authorities intend to extend his detention until 3 January 2027, effectively negating the time served from September 2019 to January 2022, which was categorised as pretrial detention in case No. 1356 of 2019. Abd el-Fattah was arrested on 28 September 2019 for raising awareness about a fellow prisoner’s death and faced multiple charges, including joining a terrorist group and spreading false information. After two years of pretrial detention, he was sentenced by the Emergency State Security Court to five years in prison.
During the ceremony, Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the Egyptian news website Mada Masr, accepted the award on Abd el-Fattah’s behalf, emphasising his bravery in the pursuit of truth.
In response to her son’s prolonged detention, Laila Soueif, Abd el-Fattah's mother, has initiated a hunger strike, describing the extension of his sentence as a violation of Egyptian law. She stated, “I consider this a kidnapping as well as unlawful detention,” highlighting the grave injustice of her son’s imprisonment. The family has urged the new Labour government in the UK to advocate for Abd el-Fattah’s release. Soueif plans to meet with British Foreign Minister David Lammy on 19 October in London to discuss her son’s situation.
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Karnataka BJP MLA caught taking Rs 5 lakh bribe remanded to judicial custody
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP MLA Dr Chandru Lamani, caught allegedly accepting a Rs 5 lakh bribe from a contractor, has been remanded to judicial custody until March 3.
The Shirahatti MLA, a doctor, was brought from Gadag to Bengaluru on Saturday night and produced before a Special Court for Public Representatives, sources said.
The court remanded him to custody until March 3.
The MLA was caught in a Lokayukta trap following a complaint by Vijay Pujar, a Class-1 contractor from Chinchali in Gadag district.
Lokayukta officials said the alleged bribe was linked to Minor Irrigation Department works, including the construction of retaining walls along a road. The accused had demanded Rs 11 lakh from the complainant to execute the project, and Rs 5 lakh was accepted during the trap.
Along with Lamani, his personal assistants, Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Naik, were also arrested in connection with the case.
