Taslima Nasrin
Profession: Novelist, poet and journalist
Taslima Nasrin was publicly condemned to death in Bangladesh for blasphemy and a reward given for her execution on 16 September 1993 by members of an armed militant Muslim group, due to her novel Lajja (Shame). Instead of condemning the calls for Nasrin's murder, the Bangladesh authorities charged Nasrin, on 4 June 1994, with 'deliberate and malicious intention of hurting the religious sentiments' for an interview given to an Indian newspaper. Nasrin fled to Europe on 10 August 1994 and has since lived abroad.
Her trial started in Dhaka on 10 December 1994 in absentia, and has remained pending for several years. Her latest novels continue to be banned by the Bangladeshi authorities on the strength of their allegedly anti-Islamic content. More than ten years since she fled Bangladesh, Nasrin still cannot return without fear for her security, and for the past three years she has lived in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Nasrin has applied for a permanent resident permit but, according to The Times of India 'the home ministry has preferred to extend it for six months keeping the option of "periodical review" open due to her joining certain issues every now and then.' Her current visa was due to expire on 17 February 2008. On 14 February 2008, she was informed by India's Ministry of External Affairs that her visa would be extended for a further six months. Nonetheless, the curbs on her freedom will remain. 'An External Affairs Ministry official told me that my permit would be extended. But I would not be allowed to move out of this place, meet friends, accept guests or return to Kolkata,' Nasrin reportedly told the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS).
On 21 November 2007, Nasrin was moved to a Government 'safe house' after violent protests by Muslim extremists in Kolkata, West Bengal, where Nasrin was living in exile. She had flown from Kolkata to the western Indian city of Jaipur on 22 November, but she has now been transported to the Indian capital, Delhi, for her safety. Nasreen, however, is desperate to return to Kolkata, believing that her 'deportation' is a political move on the part of the Communist Party in order to gain Muslim votes, and that her freedom is being unduly restricted.
According to reports, police in Kolkata used tear gas and baton charges to control crowds calling for her Indian visa to be cancelled. Rioters blocked roads and set cars alight, and at least 43 people were hurt. More than 100 arrests were made. The protests are believed to have been organised by the predominantly Muslim All-India Minority Forum, who say that Taslima Nasrin has 'seriously hurt Muslim sentiments' in her writings and are calling for her Indian visa to be revoked.
***UPDATE: It is now reported that, following a deterioration in her health while in the Delhi 'safe house', Taslima Nasrin left India for Europe, to receive medical treatment, on 19 March 2008.***
For more information on Taslima Nasrin, see the following links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7108880.stm
Honorary Member: English, Canadian, USA, American, French, Swedish, Swiss German, Austrian and Turkish PEN.