CEU Launches Book on Free Speech at Event Discussing Current Challenges

CEU launched a book entitled “Free Speech and Censorship around the Globe,” at an event in which contributors and prominent practitioners discussed current challenges to the principles of free speech Nov. 30. The volume was edited by Peter Molnar, research affiliate on freedom of speech at the Center for EU Enlargement Studies (CENS), and published by CEU Press.

“Free speech is the bedrock of open society and the opportunity to participate in one’s own government,” CEU President and Rector John Shattuck, who wrote the foreword. “Human existence is inherently expressive, while censorship is inherently destructive.”

Keynote speaker Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative for the Freedom of the Media, addressed the fact that security challenges are often used as a justification for limiting free speech and human rights in today’s world. These pose a fundamental threat to democracy.

“It is the legitimate right of governments to make our society more secure, but not at the expense of human rights,” she said. “In the name of security, we have anti-terrorism laws being introduced without consultation with the people. If this is happening in old democracies, we can only imagine what will happen in new and emerging democracies.”

Dunja Mijatovic, keynote speaker of the event discussed how free speech is limited by governments referring to "security concerns". Image credit: CEU / Daniel Vegel
Dunja Mijatovic, keynote speaker of the event discussed how free speech is limited by governments referring to "security concerns". Image credit: CEU / Daniel Vegel

Iver Orstavik, senior advisor to the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, which awarded the Rafto Prize for human rights to Molnar in 1989, expressed increasing concern by the organization of the state of freedom of the press, and commended Molnar and his colleagues on the publication.

Editor Peter Molnar spoke about the importance of free speech and the vast spectrum of analysis offered by the book both intellectually and geographically, with analysis of the state of freedom of speech in countries including Spain, Russia, Kenya, Morocco, Australia, China, Turkey, and India.

"Freedom of speech gives us the best chance to save us from ourselves," Molnar said.

Several contributors to the book were on hand to provide an overview of their chapters. Miklos Haraszti, visiting professor at CEU’s School of Public Policy and CENS director of research on human rights, wrote “Revisiting the Three Europes: Diverging Landscapes of Media Freedom of Expression.” Andrei Richter, special advisor to the OSCE RFOM wrote on “Russia’s Supreme Court as Media Freedom Protector,” Juan Barata, principal advisor to the OSCE RFOM, contributed “The Role of the Mass Media in the Spanish Transition to Democracy and Its Subsequent Consolidation,” and Roma rights expert Bernard Rorke authored “Free to Hate? Anti-Gypsyism in 21st-Century Europe.”

In the name of free speech, the event also included an expression of one of its newest forms, slam poetry featuring performances by Gabor Tamas Indiana and Peter Nemeth, known as MC Zeek, as well as editor Peter Molnar.

“Free Speech and Censorship around the Globe". Image credit: CEU / Daniel Vegel
“Free Speech and Censorship around the Globe". Image credit: CEU / Daniel Vegel