 |
|
| Irina Balakhonova | |
Irina Balakhonova, founder of the Samokat Publishing House and a pioneer in publishing works on gay themes despite Russia's homophobic laws and culture, has won the 2015 Jeri Laber International Freedom to Publish Award, given annually by the International Freedom to Publish Committee of the Association of American Publishers to a book publisher outside the United States who has demonstrated "courage in the face of restrictions on freedom of expression."
"Despite Russia's stringent laws forcefully restricting and even banning LGBT publications, this year's honoree has refused to hide," said committee chair Geoff Shandler, v-p and editorial director of William Morrow. "Her commitment, courage and perseverance should be--indeed, must be--an example to us all."
The International Publishers Association said that Balakhonova has done "a remarkable job of providing young Russian readers with access to books from around the world that otherwise would be impossible to find." Most of Samokat's titles are sold through small and medium-sized independent booksellers.
Founded in 2003, Samokat has translated into Russian titles by some 100 authors from 16 countries, as well as encouraged works by Russian authors. Its first bestseller was a Russian translation of French author Daniel Pennac's children's novel Cabot-Caboche.