Iran: Salman Rushdie threatened by flames of religious extremism

The American Pen Association has reacted to a recent measure by a group of 40 Iran-linked media outlets. This media group, associated to Hassan Rouhani’s government, announced last week that $600,000 have been added to the $2.8 million already set to carry out the fatwa issued for murdering the Iranian-British writer.

The American Pen Association said in response to this measure that threats against Rushdie will not influence the writer’s will to write, speak out or defend the text written by another individual that is targeted.

A joint statement issued by the American Pen Association, the International Pen Association and the UK Pen Association expresses disappointment of the effort Iranian regime media outlets resort to threaten Rushdie. The new financial award that has been added to this old threat is a vain effort to provoke the flames of religious extremism and hatred, the said.