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Silencing Dissent, Eroding Freedom
The Price of Speaking Freely: When Dissent Becomes a Crime
Society That Fears Ideas Will Not Remain Free for Long
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, for the moment speech is shackled, thought itself becomes a prisoner.”
The criminalization of people expressing “dissenting viewpoints” and opinions became more pronounced through global events during recent times. Political critics describe Ekrem İmamoğlu’s arrest as a method to silence the opposition leadership after Turkish officials accused him of corruption and terrorism involvement.
The federal immigration authorities in the United States detained Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil who was also a Palestinian activist. The advocates propose that authorities detained him specifically for his political activism. Because this action highlights a threat to free speech rights under national security pretenses.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is at risk of losing her public office position because of a serious embezzlement scandal. The legal tool has become a growing practice that critics say political opponents use to exclude their competition from public office…
