As Long as You Want to Ban /1,001 Nights/, Sure, Why Not Jail Gamal al-Ghitani, Too?

I appreciate the Arabic Network for Human Rights’ (ANHRI) statement regarding a suit that claims 1,001 Nights should be banned and its publishers jailed. The latter group includes no less than the great Egyptian author Gamal al-Ghitani.

Not that I’m suggesting that those of us who aren’t great Egyptian authors should be jailed. I, for instance, am not a great Egyptian author, and would not relish any time in one of Hosni’s hoosegows.

From the ANHRI release:

Gamal Eid, ANHRI executive director said, “Demanding  the confiscation of a heritage book and a creativity piece , such as A Thousand and One Nights, is a crime in essence. We will not  be silent  regarding these cases . ANHRI legal aid unit for freedom of expression will lead the defense of these writers and intellectuals who are exposed to an unfair crackdown by those publicity seekers. These writers and intellectuals insist on handing over historical and cultural treasures to the Egyptian reader and making them accessible to the Egyptian citizen just like  other citizens in other countries that  respect freedom of expression and freedom of creativity. “