Book by suspected child rapist suspended following death threats to French publisher

 A French publishing house announced on Monday that it has suspended plans to release a book by writer Gabriel Matzneff, currently under investigation for allegedly raping children, after staff at the Paris-based Nouvelle Librairie received "death threats".

Gabriel Matzneff has long been tolerated, admired and even protected in Paris literary circles. AFP/File

Matzneff, who is 86-years-old, has made no secret of his preference for sex with under-age teenagers, speaking at length about his activities on TV and publishing an essay in the 1970s entitled "Les Moins de Seize Ans" ("Under-16").

Despite an ongoing judicial investigation involving the author, the Paris-based Nouvelle Librairie had planned to publish a new collection of his articles called "Derniers écrits avant le massacre" ("Final Words Before the Massacre").

In a statement released on Monday, the company announced that "we've found ourselves forced to postpone indefinitely the release" of the book.

"Some reactions have been totally disproportionate. At a time when freedom of expression is dangerously losing ground, Nouvelle Libraire plans to stand up for it.

From prize-winner to pariah

"But it cannot accept serious death threats issued to its staff, whom it must protect," the publisher added, saying ithe company had already been targeted by vandalism.

As recently as 2013, Matzneff was fêted by a wide cross-section of the French literary establishment, winning the prestigious Renaudot Prize for a previous collection of essays.

His standing changed following the publication in 2020 of a book by a leading publisher, Vanessa Springora, describing how she was groomed by Matzneff when she was 14.

Coming in the wake of the "MeToo movement, Springora's book "Consent" was a turning point, encouraging others to come forward with allegations of abuse against Matzneff -- as well as sparking a wider discussion about the prevalence of paedophilia in French society.

Since no recent victims have come forward to accuse Matzneff, he may not face trial, as Springora's allegations date to the 1980s and now exceed the legal timeframe established by the statute of limitations.