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 Rushdie, the subject of an Iranian death threat in 1989 for
his book "The Satanic Verses", which was deemed blasphemous by
many Muslims, said he had not expected freedom of expression to
come under attack again to this extent in the western world.
"It seems to me the battle for free expression was won 100 years
ago," the 68-year-old told an audience at the opening of the
Frankfurt Book Fair, under heavy security.
"The fact that we have to go on fighting this battle is the
result of a number of regrettable, more recent phenomena."
After Islamist gunmen killed 12 people in January in an attack
at the office of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, which
had mocked religions including Islam, Rushdie defended the
murdered cartoonists.
He still faces criticism from his religious opponents: the
Iranian Ministry of Culture canceled its national stand at this
year's book fair because of Rushdie's appearance, and Saudi
Arabia protested against a new Czech translation of "The Satanic
Verses" only last week.
Rushdie criticized restraints on freedom of expression at
universities, referring to recent examples in Britain and the
United States. "The idea that students should not be
intellectually challenged at universities is exactly what we
should fight," he said.
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The British Indian novelist, who went into hiding for years after
the 1989 edict by Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
ordering Muslims to kill him, has resumed public appearances in
recent years and was in Frankfurt promoting his new book.
"Two Years, Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights", a reference to
the 1,001 nights of the famous Arabic tales, is described as a novel
exploring the complexity of the world by weaving together history,
mythology and love.
Rushdie told his audience that all people around the world could
relate to stories, so limiting freedom of expression was not just
censorship but an assault on human nature.
"It prevents us from being the kind of creatures that we are. It is
not something which is specific to one culture. It is something
universal to human beings," he said.
(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle and Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Mark
Trevelyan)
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