Saviano at Buchmesse: Italian freedom of expression in danger!

Saviano at Buchmesse: Italian freedom of expression in danger!

At the renowned Frankfurt Book Fair, the Italian author Roberto Saviano, known for his shaking book on the Mafia "Gomorrha", spoke to the topic of freedom of expression in his home country. "It almost feels like a revenge (" Vendendta ") to be here," said Saviano, who has repeatedly confronted threats due to his writer's work and is under police protection. Despite his absence from the official delegation of the Italian, he took part in the trade fair at the invitation of his publisher.

The situation for critics in Italy has deteriorated sharply in the author's eyes. Saviano reported on persistent personal attacks by right -wing media and politicians, whereby he specially called Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called. She had accused him of taking advantage of his books about the mafia. "When a political head says something like this, the consequences are serious; it leads to the fact that you are excluded from festival," he said. This assessment illustrates the growing gap between government and critical voices in Italy.

dissidents in democracy

A central statement by Saviano was the own definition of dissidence. According to him, one is a dissident if one's own political attitude leads to serious consequences, such as problems for the family or financial difficulties. Such problems should not occur in a stable democratic system, but Saviano describes the current situation in Italy as alarming. "This is already a reality for some of us," he added, thereby drawing attention to the critical situation of political opponents in the Italian context.

Saviano attracted numerous visitors during the book fair and stood on a panel of Pen Berlin, where he dealt with the topic of "writing in illiberal times". His appearances on media platforms such as ZDF, ARD and the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" also generated lively interest, which shows that his messages arrive in people. This attention underlines the importance of his work and the need to promote the right conversation about freedom of the press and personal security.

dispute over the Italian delegation

In front of the book fair, an open dispute between the Italian government and authors broke out about the composition of the official delegation. The government's critics accused the government -critical votes, including Savianos, from the official program. These controversy show how tense the relationship between the government and the literary establishment is and how much the freedom of expression is under pressure in today's world.

Saviano is and remains a key figure in conversation about writing under oppressive conditions and the special risks associated with it. Despite the threats, he has never lost his place as one of the leading voices of the opposition and encourages many to stand up for their beliefs. These aspects of the Frankfurt Book Fair once again underline the relevance, authority and the courage to fight in a landscape that is increasingly shaped by political pressure.

If you would like to find out more on this topic, find detailed reporting on the events and its background on www.onetz.de .