bilal | dzwatch
Dar Mim Publishing in Algeria has announced its closure due to the controversy surrounding the novel “Houaria,” written by author and translator Inaam Bayoud.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Dar Mim addressed the Algerian public, particularly intellectuals, genuine and fake readers, writers, and pseudo-publishing houses: “We announce today our withdrawal from publishing.”
The statement continued: “Leaving everything behind as we always have, we declare that Mim has closed its doors to the wind and the fire. We have been advocates of peace and love, seeking nothing but to promote that.”
It is noteworthy that the novel “Houaria,” which won the Asia Djebar Prize for Fiction, sparked a debate on social media and faced criticism for containing what some deemed “vulgar” and “immoral” language. Meanwhile, supporters defended the novel and its author, arguing that the critics are neither “imams nor guardians of virtue.”
Dar Mim Publishing closes over controversial novel
