No Result
View All Result
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
21 °c
Tripoli
22 ° Thu
22 ° Fri
24 ° Sat
27 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
 
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

Tripoli cultural centre closed in book row

byMichel Cousins
September 12, 2017
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Tripoli cultural centre closed in book row

Locked door

12
SHARES
53
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Libya Herald reporters.

Locked door
Locked – the entrance to the Dar Al-Fagih Hassan arts and cultural centre in Tripoli’s Old City (Photo: Social media)

Tunis, 5 September 2017:

An armed group, believed to be members Tripoli’s Rada (“Deterrence”) force, has forcibly ejected staff from the Dar Al-Fagih Hassan arts and cultural centre in the capital’s Old City and padlocked its doors.

It is the latest twist in the fast developing row about collection of stories by 25 young Libyan writers entitled Sun on Closed Windows.

Edited by Leila Al-Maghrabi and Khaled Mattawa, the book was published in May but it is only since a book signing in Zawia on 26 August that the row has blown up.

RELATED POSTS

Top law firm joins new British Libyan Business Association

An academy with a difference in Tripoli

One of the stories, Kashan, by Ahmad Al-Bukhari, is sexually explicit and is being accused of being obscene and contrary to Libyan morality. There has been a massive campaign on social media against the book, with thousands of threats, including death threats, being made against it, Bukhari and the two editors. Al-Maghrabi is said to have gone into hiding. Following the Zawia book signing, the man who organised it was reported to have been arrested.

There was also a signing at the Dar Al Fagih Hassan – which is why it has been targeted by Rada, which is Salafist.

“A military force closed the Dar Al-Fagih Hassan after a defamation campaign against one of the authors, Ahmad Al-Bukhari, gained traction on social media”, said Ibrahim Ahmidan, head of the Libyan Association for Literature and Arts which holds monthly cultural events in the building.

The Presidency Council’s culture and information authority which has condemned the book and reportedly ordered copies to be confiscated, is meanwhile claiming permission was never given for its publication. However, the publishers said they were given permission in 2013 but did not have the funds to publish until this year.

image3 2

While the anger felt by some against the book is clearly very real, there is also evidence of a deliberate hate campaign being whipped up against it and all connected to it. At least one fake Facebook page has been created purporting to promote the book but in effect goading others into railing against it, the author and editors.

The closure of the Dar Al-Fagih Hassan, which in fact belongs to the authorities in Tripoli, has angered many even those unhappy about Sun on Closed Windows. Serving as the French consulate throughout most of the 19th century and one of just a handful of fully restored buildings in the Old City, it has in recent years became an important and much appreciated cultural centre, used for exhibitions, presentations and other such events.

Responding to its closure, Mattawa described it “an assault on culture and intellectuals”, and called on civil society organisations as well as writers, artists and anyone interested in culture and art to defend what he called one of Tripoli’s cultural bastions, and to defend freedom.

Zawia signing
The Zawia book signing
Tags: featuredLibyaSun on Closed Windows
Share5Tweet3Share1

Related Posts

Attorney General orders arrests at Jumhouria bank branch for embezzlement
Libya

Members of illegal organizations given imprisonment and death sentences by Misrata Criminal Court

May 30, 2023
State recognised militia and Libyan Army clash in central Tripoli
Libya

State recognised militia and Libyan Army clash in central Tripoli

May 29, 2023
FDCC destroys non-conforming shipments of medicines, calls on suppliers to respect Libyan health standards
Libya

FDCC destroys non-conforming shipments of medicines, calls on suppliers to respect Libyan health standards

May 29, 2023
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

Tripoli Libyan government conducts drone strikes against criminal hideouts in western coast

May 25, 2023
AmCham Libya Networking Breakfast
Libya

US Embassy in Tripoli announces easing of visa protocol: One-year multiple entry visas now replace three-month single-entry visas

May 24, 2023
Ten former antagonists, now presidential candidates, including Hafter, Bashagha and Maetig gather in Benghazi
Libya

Bashagha suspended by HoR as eastern-based prime minister

May 19, 2023
Next Post

Thinni suspends Arish – again

WHO delivers scorpion anti-venum serum

WHO delivers scorpion anti-venum serum

 

Advertise on LibyaHerald

Reach thousands of our site visitors daily

240 x 400px

Advertise Here
ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • State recognised militia and Libyan Army clash in central Tripoli

    State recognised militia and Libyan Army clash in central Tripoli

    187 shares
    Share 75 Tweet 47
  • Tripoli Libyan government conducts drone strikes against criminal hideouts in western coast

    132 shares
    Share 53 Tweet 33
  • US Embassy in Tripoli announces easing of visa protocol: One-year multiple entry visas now replace three-month single-entry visas

    109 shares
    Share 59 Tweet 21
  • The Tripoli Libyan Ministry of Transport confirms development plan for Libya-Tunisia Ras Jedir border crossing

    60 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Libya loses US$ 5 bn annually due to illegal Tuna fishing within its territorial waters

    111 shares
    Share 46 Tweet 27
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

Members of illegal organizations given imprisonment and death sentences by Misrata Criminal Court

The International Conference on Arbitration in Libya – held in Tripoli with international participation

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Cart
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Sign In with Facebook
    Sign In with Linked In
    OR

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Sign Up with Facebook
    Sign Up with Linked In
    OR

    Fill the forms bellow to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
    Are you sure want to unlock this post?
    Unlock left : 0
    Are you sure want to cancel subscription?