Slain Charlie Hebdo editor’s book to be published posthumously

Stephane Charbonnier, the slain editor of French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, is getting the last word.

Charbonnier -- known by his pen name Charb -- was one of the 12 people killed at the magazine’s offices by terrorists in January. The gunmen reportedly called out Charb by name.

Days before, Charbonnier had completed a manifesto about free spech, which will be published in 2016 by Little, Brown. “Open Letter: On Blasphemy, Islamophobia and the True Enemies of Free Expression� will be published in January and includes a preface by the New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik.

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In a news release about the book, Michael Pietsch, chief executive of Hachette Book Group, parent company of Little, Brown, said: “Freedom of speech is the foundation of our business, and Stephane Charbonnier was one of free speech’s great proponents. We’re proud to publish this vital book.�

Arnaud Nourry, chairman of the French-based Hachette Livre, parent company of Hachette Book Group, added: “The murder of Stephane Charbonnier and his colleagues at Charlie Hebdo was a tragic moment for France, and for the world. To have journalists and illustrators silenced so brutally for lampooning bullies and extremists was a brazen attack on the fundamental freedom to publish. I am pleased that we will be able to share Charbonnier’s views with readers, and to contribute to the conversation about the insidiousness of religious intolerance.�

The killing of the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo led to an outpouring of support, with hundreds of thousands demonstrating, other outlets taking up the cry and millions using the hashtag #jesuischarlie (#iamcharlie).

Twitter: @paperhaus