"We are stunned," the US Pen opens its open letter criticizing the election of Peter Handke as Nobel Laureate in Literature 2019. Pen notes that the organization does not "take the habit of commenting on other institutions' literature prize," but considers it compulsory when the organization considers Handke used its place in the public to "perpetuate a historical truth".

"We deeply regret the decision of the Nobel Committee," Pen concludes.

Peter Handke took a stand for the Serbian side during the Yugoslav war in the 1990s. He also spoke at former President Slobodan Milošević's funeral in 2006.

Died while waiting for them

In 2007, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the Serbian state did not commit legal genocide during the war with Bosnia in 1992-95. However, the court considered that Belgrade did not act to stop the massacre in Srebrenica in 1995. The massacre is considered genocide and around 8,000 Muslim men and boys were executed in 1995.

Milošević was charged with genocide in 66 cases by the War Criminal Tribunal, but died in custody a few months before the verdict against him would fall.