Mayor of Reykjavík Jón Gnarr has offered asylum to an internationally known author facing persecution in their home country, but he isn’t saying who the author is, for security reasons.
Pressan reports that the author is due to arrive in the country within a couple months. The mayor made this announcement while kicking off the Reykjavík Book Festival yesterday.
Pressan called the mayor’s assistant, S. Björn Blöndal, who likewise would not reveal the identity of the author.
“He is known in some circles,” he conceded. “He is no Salmann Rushdie but those who are being persecuted are all of equal importance.”
The author is due to arrive in Iceland just before Christmas. There is housing available and waiting for them, and they will also receive a living stipend from the city.
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