The International Publishers Association (IPA) is concerned about the situation in Egypt on the eve of the opening of the Cairo Book Fair. Egyptian authorities are waging a grotesque attack on freedom of expression, and have disabled access to the Internet for citizens. For this reason, the IPA has decided not to participate in the opening of the Cairo Book Fair in an act of protest.
The Egyptian government is currently attempting to block all channels of communication in the country ranging from Internet access to cell phone networks. Authorities have gone so far as to pressure the country's internet service providers to go offline completely. Government officials have taken such actions in an attempt to disable citizens that have engaged in protests over the past week from taking to the streets.
The IPA has called on the Egyptian authorities to restore all channels of communication and to enable Internet access ahead of the opening of the Cairo Book Fair. IPA believes that participation in the Cairo Book Fair would be against its organisational pillars because the host country is experiencing a case of obvious hostility to publishers' rights and the rights to knowledge and access to information.
The International Publishers Association is the global non-governmental organisation representing all aspects of book and journal publishing worldwide. Established in 1896, the association aims to promote and protect publishing and to raise awareness for publishing as a force for cultural and political advancement worldwide.
Search for more partnership programs / consortiums
To access our daily STM news feed through your iPhone, iPad, or other smartphones, please visit www.myscoope.com for a mobile friendly reading experience.
