In 2017, at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, comedian Hasan Minhaj, an immigrant Indian Muslim, made fun of then President Donald Trump and even called him the “liar in chief,” with the applause of the audience. That’s freedom of speech. Freedom of speech or freedom of expression is a human right.
Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights stipulates: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Of course, there is also a debate on the extent of freedom of expression that is sustainable and conducive to the smooth functioning of a society or nation.
Democratic countries like the USA, UK, and EU members have more freedom of expression than the countries known as authoritarian states like China, Russia, or North Korea. Interestingly, the constitutional provisions for freedom of speech are not much different in these countries.
For instance, the First Amendment of the Constitution of the USA specifies, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Similarly, Article 13 of the constitution of North Korea states, “Citizens of the D.P.R.K. have freedom of speech, the press, association, assembly, mass meetings and demonstration. Citizens are guaranteed the right to organize and unite in democratic political parties, trade unions, cooperative organizations, sports, cultural, technical, scientific and other societies.”
However, the reality on the ground is different. The World Report 2024 of Human Rights Watch observes that in North Korea, the government denies its citizens free thought, expression, and information. Every media outlet is under its control, and accessing unauthorized media content is strictly forbidden. The government deems this as “anti-socialist behavior” deserving of punishment, even resorting to torture and forced labor.
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This article was published in the Daily Sun on March 02, 2024. Please read the full article here or here.