Tehran Book Fair; 'Roozaneh' Closed, Prominent Publishers Did Not Participate

The 34th International Book Fair in Tehran began on Wednesday, May 10, with many prominent domestic publishers refusing to participate. Publishers such as Markaz, Ghoghnoos, Negah, Morvarid, Saless, Cheshmeh, Ketab Parseh, and Niloufar withdrew due to economic, professional, or political and social issues. Roozaneh Publishing was closed on the first day of the book fair without any specific reason by the fair officials. Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, the director of Roozaneh Publishing, had been arrested and transferred to Evin Prison on May 25. The absence of well-known and established publishers has been met with criticism from some social media users. Emily Amraei, a translator and journalist, published a list of 25 absent publishers at this year's book fair. According to Shargh newspaper, publishers such as Ghatrieh did not attend the book fair for professional reasons and in support of bookstores. Some publishers, including Mehrgan Khord, indirectly criticized the current social and political conditions by announcing discounted book sales on their website. Several publishers preferred to sell books online due to the fair being held in both physical and virtual formats. For instance, Morvarid Publishing mentioned in an interview with Shargh that the main reason for not attending the physical section of the book fair was its 'lack of economic feasibility.' A number of Iranian publishers abroad launched the seventh edition of the 'Tehran, Without Censorship' book fair in Stuttgart, Germany, on Friday, May 5. This month-long fair, featuring 20 publishers, was organized in response to the restrictions imposed by the Islamic Republic on book publishing. Reports from Voice of America covered the 'Tehran, Without Censorship' book fair in Stuttgart, Germany, and reactions to advertisements for 'hijab' and 'chastity' from Tolstoy and Hugo.