Eastern authorities seize world literature books, Paulo Coelho condemns

Security official said confiscated books contained information on Shiaism and Christianity as well as erotic material. PHOTO: TWITTER @GhaithShennib

A van carrying literature and other books by Arab and foreign authors, including Dan Brown and Paulo Coelho, has been seized by authorities in eastern Libya.

Officials from the Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Authority have claimed the books promote secularism, Shi’ism and perversion as well as Sufism

The van was stopped while it was heading from Tobruk to Benghazi and the books were seized.

An image of the seizure by the Al-Marij-based Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Authority was tweeted, showing the books being removed from a truck and put on display.

Along with Brown and Coelho, the haul included books from Friedrich Nietzsche and Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz.

Many local authorities in the est, including the Culture and Information Authority in eastern government headed by Khalid Najim, condemned the seizure saying it is a reckless act.

Paulo Coelho tweeted on Monday that he had contacted the Brazilian embassy, saying it told him there’s little they can do.

“But I can’t just sit and watch my books being burned.” He tweeted

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