'It's like they were selling heroin to schoolkids': censorship hits booksellers at Kuwait book fair

Many Arab book fairs have been a free space for publishers to sell titles banned in shops, but Kuwait has seen raised levels of censorship – turning the book trade into a risky business

Arab book fairs are like a giant travelling circus; no sooner does one end than publishers are boxing up books, pulling down posters, and moving their wares to the next. There are more than 15 major fairs across the region, with dozens of minor ones. This week, a reported 568 publishers are at the Kuwait international book fair, where readers, publishers, and writers are fighting back – and winning small gains – against a growing censoriousness.

Related: UAE launches new law to 'make reading a daily habit'

Kuwait has a robust appreciation for literature and tough-minded writers – yet restrictive censorship and bureaucracy

A book being banned doesn't mean demand disappears. 'It's sold under the table, exposing the sellers to danger'

Related: Tunisian novel wins ‘Arabic Booker’ in Abu Dhabi despite UAE ban

We don't want to submit to this situation, which we hope will change in a country where freedom has had a wide berth

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