Slain Charlie Hebdo editor’s book to be published posthumously

Stephane Charbonnier, the slain editor of French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, is getting the last word.

Charbonnier -- known by his pen name Charb -- was one of the 12 people killed at the magazine’s offices by terrorists in January. The gunmen reportedly called out Charb by name.

Days before, Charbonnier had completed a manifesto about free spech, which will be published in 2016 by Little, Brown. “Open Letter: On Blasphemy, Islamophobia and the True Enemies of Free Expression” will be published in January and includes a preface by the New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik.

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In a news release about the book, Michael Pietsch, chief executive of Hachette Book Group, parent company of Little, Brown, said: “Freedom of speech is the foundation of our business, and Stephane Charbonnier was one of free speech’s great proponents. We’re proud to publish this vital book.”

Arnaud Nourry, chairman of the French-based Hachette Livre, parent company of Hachette Book Group, added: “The murder of Stephane Charbonnier and his colleagues at Charlie Hebdo was a tragic moment for France, and for the world. To have journalists and illustrators silenced so brutally for lampooning bullies and extremists was a brazen attack on the fundamental freedom to publish. I am pleased that we will be able to share Charbonnier’s views with readers, and to contribute to the conversation about the insidiousness of religious intolerance.”

The killing of the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo led to an outpouring of support, with hundreds of thousands demonstrating, other outlets taking up the cry and millions using the hashtag #jesuischarlie (#iamcharlie).

Twitter: @paperhaus