By: William D. Slicker
Just about all Americans know that the United States Constitution protects the right of free speech. Yet there are many who do not understand what a rare right this is worldwide, or how this right is under increasing attack.
American students are engaging in protests seeking to enact a socialist government. They apparently do not realize that such protests against the government would not be allowed under a socialist government.
China has imprisoned more people for “crimes” of free speech than any other country. Those engaged in protests using social media, and journalists have all been targeted. The most common charge appears to be “subversion of state power.”[1]
After China, Cuba has more journalists imprisoned than any other countries. Freedom of expression is stifled by laws that criminalize disseminating enemy propaganda, unauthorized news, and insulting patriotic symbols.[2]
In Russia, freedom of expression has greatly deteriorated under Putin. Since Putin came to power, 43 journalists and media workers have been killed. Hundreds more have been imprisoned. This includes Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich. It also included Ivan Safronov who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for revealing state secrets that were openly available online. The usual charges are being a foreign agent or disseminating fake news. Faced with this situation more than 300 journalists have left the country.[3]
In Venezuela, under prior president, Nicolas Maduro, there was harassment and persecution of dissident voices, particularly journalists and media workers, social leaders, and human right defenders. Many are targeted under the Law of Hatred which allows imprisonment for up to 20 years for someone who disseminates information deemed intolerant.[4]
Unfortunately, this systematic suppression of differing voices in socialist countries is appearing in democratic countries.
Freedom of expression in India, under Modi, is not so free. Journalist Siddique Kappan was on his way to report on a gang rape and killing of a lowest caste teenager by several upper caste men, when he was arrested and imprisoned under an anti-terror law for a conspiracy to disturb the peace. The arrest has made other reporters afraid. In the last 10 years, at least 21 journalists have been imprisoned. Foreign correspondents have had their visa extensions denied so that they had to leave the country.[5]
In Brazil, a judge blocked X nationwide.[6]
In Finland, Paivi Rasanan, a member of the Finnish parliament was charged with publication of a booklet which articulated historic Christian teachings on human sexuality.[7]
Both Denmark and Sweden are considering enacting legislation that would outlaw acts where other countries, cultures, and religions could be insulted. This consideration is in response to pressure from the 57 Muslim member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to prohibit burning the Quran. Many of those countries outlaw any religion other than Islam.[8]
In Australia, a bill called Combating Misinformation and Disinformation has been proposed. An unelected government agency, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, would decide what is fake news.[9]
A new Scottish law criminalizes stirring up hatred. Its opponents include Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling; Elon Musk; and Joe Rogan. Musk posted on X that the legislation is an example of why it is so important to preserve freedom of speech.[10]
The United Kingdom has now become one of the most authoritarian countries in Europe on free speech. Under the Equality Act, which punishes hate crimes, a hate crime is “any criminal offense, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on a person’s race or religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender status.” Basically, the evidence is the subjective belief of the alleged victim or witness.[11]
Our neighbor to the north, Canada, is considering an Online Harms Act which will outlaw hate speech defined as a communication that expresses detestation or vilification of an individual or group of individuals on the prohibited grounds of race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, or conviction for an offense for which a pardon has been granted. It allows fines of up to $50,000 and the possibility of a life sentence.[12]
The United States has not been exempt. Our own government, under Biden, pressured Meta to censor Facebook and Instagram about covid.[13] The government also falsely suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop as disinformation.[14]
Around the globe, freedom of expression is being attacked under the agenda of censoring “hate speech” “disinformation” and “National security”. Democracies are installing the very curbs on free speech that have separated them in the past from repressive governments. In response to all of these attacks on freedom of expression, the current U.S. Department of State is launching a new platform called Freedom.Gov to promote our first amendment freedom of speech protections.[15] Will we be the last Americans to have lived with free speech before we drift into Orwell’s world where the government monitors and controls all of the information?
[1] Amnesty International, Human Rights in China, 2023, https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/east-asia/china/report-china/
[2] Loughran, Patrick,
Freedom of Expression in Cuba, https://www.englishpen.org/posts/campaigns/freedom-of-expression-in-cuba/
[3] Malig, Kaela, How Russia’s Press Freedom has Deteriorated Over the Decades Since Putin Case to Power, PBS Frontline, 26 Sept. 2023, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/russia-putin-press-freedom-independent-news/
[4] Villarreal, Pedro and Khan, Irene, Freedom of Expression in Venezuela: State of Play and Lines to Action, Organizations of American States, 30 Aug 2022, https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/expression/reports/VEN-UN-OAS-Statement-AUG22.pdf
[5] Iyer, Aishwarya, Is India’s free press not so free after a decade of Modi, CNN, 22 May 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/22/media/india-elections-press-freedom-decline-intl-hnk/index.html
[6] Biller, David and Sa Pessoa, Gabriela, Brazil Supreme Court panel unanimously upholds judge’s decision to block X nationwide, ABC News, 2 Sept 2024, https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/brazil-supreme-court-panel-unanimously-upholds-judges-decision-113329005
[7] International Lutheran Council, Supreme Court of Finland Holds Hearings in “Bible Trial” (Oct. 30, 2025); https://ilcouncil.org/2025/10/30/supreme-court-of-finland-holds-new-hearings-in-bible-trial/
[8] McHangama, Jacob, Denmark and Sweden’s Commitment to Free Speech is Wilting in the Face of Quran Burnings, Time, 9 Aug. 2023, https://time.com/6302649/denmark-swedens-quran-burnings-commitment-to-free-speech/
[9] Storey, John, Australia’s War on Free Speech, Spiked, 4 Dec, 2023 https://www.spiked-online.com/2023/12/04/australias-war-on-free-speech/
[10] Sands, Leo, Scotland’s hate speech law ignites culture war far outside its borders, The Washington Post, 10 April 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/10/hate-crime-speech-scotland-jk-rowling/
[11] Yaxley, Noel, Gone to Rot, City Journal, 1 April 2022, https://www.city-journal.org/article/gone-to-rot
[12] Post Editorial Board, Canada and Trudeau go full Orwell behind anti-speech bill: Fear and Maple Curtain, New York Post, 18 May 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/05/18/opinion/canadas-moving-to-end-free-speech-with-new-bill/
[13]Reed, Betsy, Mark Zuckerberg says White House ‘pressured’ Facebook to censor Covid-19 content, The Guardian, 27 Aug 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/aug/27/mark-zuckerberg-says-white-house-pressured-facebook-to-censor-covid-19-content
[14] Judiciary Committee, Testimony Reveals FBI Employees Who Warned Social Media Companies about Hack and Leak Operation Knew Hunter Biden Laptop Wasn’t Russian Disinformation, Judiciary Committee, 20 July 2023, https://judiciary.house.gov/media/press-releases/testimony-reveals-fbi-employees-who-warned-social-media-companies-about-hack
[15] Stocklin, U.S. Launches Site to Combat Global Censorship, The Epoch Times (Feb. 25, 2026).
