Ubud Writers Festival Sparks Free Speech Debate Over Palestinian-Australian Author's Talk

At the four-day 2026 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Bali, Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah appeared in three hour-long sessions, each drawing a full house of ticket-holding attendees.

Abdel-Fattah had previously been labeled a 'threat' by the former board of the Adelaide Festival in Australia and remained a target of protest. However, journalist David Sly, who moderated sessions at the festival, reported that during her talks and a subsequent book-signing for her novel 'Discipline,' she made no threats and used no violent rhetoric.

Sly noted that while Abdel-Fattah expressed strong emotion about the situation in Gaza and offered sharp criticism of Zionism, her language remained measured and carefully worded rather than inflammatory. Festival founder and director Janet DeNeefe emphasized in her closing address: 'We want to hear different perspectives. Good arguments deserve to be heard. If you ban someone's voice today, then tomorrow there will be pressure to silence yours.'

The episode has drawn attention to broader debates about censorship and free expression at international literary events. For tourists and cultural event attendees in Bali, the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival remains one of Southeast Asia's premier literary gatherings, and this incident underscores its role as a platform for open, if sometimes contentious, discourse.