Nobel winner fears rising self-censorship in Poland

Poland's Nobel literature winner Olga Tokarczuk on Tuesday decried rising self-censorship in her country, while steering clear of the controversy engulfing fellow laureate Peter Handke.

Speaking at the opening press conference of the Frankfurt book fair, the dreadlocked author and outspoken critic of the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) said there was "a kind of culture war" raging at home between the right-wing government and the opposition.

"There is no official censorship in literature, but I feel a certain fear when I see that a kind of self-censorship is developing in Poland," Tokarczuk said through a translator.

"Authors are somehow afraid of expressing what they really think or feel because they fear political consequences. I can only hope this development will not continue."
"I'm very glad also that the left-wing Lewica (bloc) and the Greens are part of parliament for the first time. I think some new things will happen over the next four years."