We, the signatories of this petition, call for a firm and massive boycott of the book Houris by Kamel Daoud, published under a false literary pretext, but deeply rooted in dishonesty and betrayal.
This book, which claims to be a work of fiction, appropriates and distorts without consent the heartbreaking story of Saada Arbane, a survivor of an atrocious massacre where her entire family was decimated. By abusing the trust granted through a confidential medical framework, Kamel Daoud and his psychiatrist wife, supposed to treat and protect the survivor since 2015, exploited her intimate story to turn it into commercial material. This theft of the intimate and this serious violation of ethics is a second form of symbolic throat-slitting, an intolerable betrayal of Saada Arbane and all the victims of such atrocities.
Why do we need to act?
- To say NO to the betrayal of medical confidentiality
Medical confidentiality is a fundamental pillar of ethics, a promise of respect and protection for the most vulnerable. By trampling on this sacred principle, Kamel Daoud and his psychiatrist wife have shown total contempt for professional and human integrity. - To defend the memory of the victims
The massacre that Saada Arbane survived is not a simple news item or a literary inspiration. It is a human tragedy. Reducing it to an anecdote in a novel constitutes an intolerable desecration of the memory of those who perished. - To condemn the theft of life and speech
No one should assume the right to appropriate the story of a damaged life for personal or commercial gain. This act is a symbolic rape that takes away Saada Arbane, whose vocal cords were cut by Islamist terrorists, her voice and her right to tell her story on her own terms.
A call to all citizens of the world
We ask all French-speaking journalists, writers, doctors, and intellectuals as well as all people sensitive to ethics and justice to join us to:
- Boycott Houris and refuse to contribute to its commercial success.
- Publicly denounce the immoral acts of Kamel Daoud and his psychiatrist wife.
- Support Saada Arbane in her quest for justice and dignity.
By signing this petition, we say NO to the betrayal of medical confidentiality, NO to the theft of life and YES to respect for ethics and the rights of survivors.
We stand in solidarity with Saada Arbane
We will not allow her story to be commodified and the victims' pain to be exploited. Together, we stand together to preserve human dignity.
First signatories:
-Lila Lefèvre, journalist
– Jacques-Marie Bourget, journalist
-Ilona Cingel, co-founder of Atipik TV
– Annie Lacroix-Ritz, historian
-Mohamed Hani, MP
-Ali Benouari, former minister
-Mohamed Abdoun, director of the Homeland NEWS
-Mohamed Baghali, journalist
-DR. Ilham Chaghba, professor
Join us to say STOP to injustice and YES to ethics.
Sign and massively share this petition to make the voices of victims and defenders of justice heard!
