PRAGUE — Former President Vaclav Havel has won the prestigious Franz Kafka Prize.
An international jury that included prominent German literary critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki and British publisher John Calder chose to give Havel the prize, which is awarded annually and includes $10,000.
Past winners include the American novelist Philip Roth and Nobel laureates Elfriede Jelinek of Austria and Harold Pinter of Britain.
It is awarded by the Prague-based Franz Kafka Society to authors whose works "appeal to readers regardless of their origin, nationality and culture."
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Since the 1960s, Havel, now 73, has published dozens of plays, books and political essays to international acclaim. His first play in 20 years, "Leaving," premiered two years ago.