Skip to content
  • Commentary

Opinion: Free Speech Fight Continues Around the World

Paul Coleman in Newsweek: Fight for Free Speech Continues Around the World

“Gusty November may bring with it favorable winds for online free speech. Elon Musk’s highly anticipated acquisition promises meaningful change for the Twitter landscape, with the prospect of canceled voices being soon released from the dark recesses of Twitter “jail.” Those of us who have lamented the shrinking space for free speech online should celebrate these signs of hope. But let us not lose sight of the international state of affairs for speech—in much of the world, the mere act of taking your thoughts online could constitute a crime.

What we have before us is a dangerous and escalating international trend of criminalizing the exercise of the basic human right to free speech,” writes Paul Coleman, ADF International Executive Director.

Read more of this Newsweek article.

Images for free use in print or online in relation to this story only.

Would you give today?

Other Commentaries

October 9, 2025 /

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu’s Supreme Court Outcome Will Shape Religious Freedom in Africa 

Read More
Qaraqosh is home to many Iraqi Christians. It suffered great loss in 2014.
August 13, 2025 /

What Can We Learn from Iraqi Christians 11 Years After ISIS’s Attack?

Read More
March for Life UK
July 3, 2025 /

Life at Risk: A Defining Week for the UK 

Read More

Stay Informed

Get involved! Sign up to receive updates:

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name*
Consent*

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information
Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

Get Your Copy of Christianity on Campus

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name
Consent

Rhoda Jatau

Rhoda was put in prison for 19 months during a trial where she was charged with blasphemy for allegedly sending a WhatsApp message condemning mob violence against Christians.

Read more

Adah

Adah had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion and obtained a protective order in another state.

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

In March 2020, a dangerous mob burned down his house and the Hisbah religious police, an official authority in charge of enforcing Sharia law, arrested Yahaya. Shortly after, the young man was convicted in a Sharia court for his alleged “blasphemy” and sentenced to death by hanging. His Supreme Court appeal has the potential to overturn Sharia-based blasphemy laws in Northern Nigeria.

Read more

Pastor Ezekiel

Pastor Ezekiel was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who released him.

David

David was captured and tortured by unidentified men for two weeks in February 2024, and then handed over to the police, who charged him with kidnapping and obtained a conviction without a lawyer in 3 days. His lawyer obtained bail for David and is appealing the conviction.

Naomi

Naomi had to flee her home after being threatened by her family for her conversion, and obtained a protective order in another state.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce smiling into the camera.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce from the UK, a pro-life leader in the United Kingdom, arrested for praying in silence on the public street nearby an abortion facility.

Stand with Isabel

Shagufta and Shafqat

Shagufta and Shafqat from Pakistan, a Christian couple who languished on death row for seven years, convicted for allegedly sending a blasphemous text message, even though they can neither read nor write.

Stand with Shagufta and Shafqat

Rodrigo Iván Cortés

Rodrigo Iván Cortés, a former Mexican congressman, punished under the law after speaking out in defence of biological reality — the fact that we are male and female.

Stand with Rodrigo now

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce from the UK, a pro-life leader in the United Kingdom, arrested for praying in silence on the public street nearby an abortion facility.

Stand with Isabel

Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament and devoted grandmother from Finland, charged with 'hate speech' for voicing her deeply held beliefs on the Christian view of marriage and sexuality.

Stand with Päivi

Nada and Hamouda

Nada and Hamouda from Sudan, who had their marriage struck down by a Sharia court and faced punishment of 100 lashes and threats to their lives, simply because they converted to Christianity.

Stand with Nada and Hamouda

The movement for freedom needs an Amicus – a friend

Paul and Päivi

It’s never been more important for us to join together and protect our fundamental rights. Here’s how you can today:

Get Going Now

Protecting our right to live and speak the truth

Your gift will support our global work against censorship and for freedom. Thank you for your generosity.