Skip to content

Global Censorship Requires a Global Response

Global Censorship Requires a Global Response

Governments across the world are imposing and enforcing laws to silence free expression, and even free thought.

Increasingly, we are seeing not only the failure to protect free speech, but also the introduction of measures by the state to actively silence and sanction free expression.

Learn more about these cases to see how ADF International is standing against global censorship:

Breaking News

1
A veterinary student in Brazil could face 10 YEARS in prison just for stating a biological fact
A veterinary student in Brazil could face 10 YEARS in prison just for stating a biological fact
02:40
2
In Germany and Austria, courts have made it clear: PEACEFUL PRAYER cannot be banned.
In Germany and Austria, courts have made it clear: PEACEFUL PRAYER cannot be banned.
02:45
3
Will Europe protect its history and uphold the display of religious symbols?
Will Europe protect its history and uphold the display of religious symbols?
02:45
4
Australian mother to take legal action after teen daughter exposed to "disturbing" sex ed content
Australian mother to take legal action after teen daughter exposed to "disturbing" sex ed content
03:05
5
Is silent prayer really a CRIME? 🇬🇧
Is silent prayer really a CRIME? 🇬🇧
03:36
6
PATHWAYS clinical trial. This isn’t research – this is experimentation.
PATHWAYS clinical trial. This isn’t research – this is experimentation.
02:53
7
The U.S. has officially designated 🇳🇬 Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern”
The U.S. has officially designated 🇳🇬 Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern”
03:06
8
Päivi Räsänen Back in Court: Finnish Supreme Court Hearing for Oct 30th (Part one)
Päivi Räsänen Back in Court: Finnish Supreme Court Hearing for Oct 30th (Part one)
03:36
9
🚨 Free Speech Under Threat
🚨 Free Speech Under Threat
03:32
10
Nigeria: The Persecuted Christians You Need to Know About
Nigeria: The Persecuted Christians You Need to Know About
03:48

Governments should focus on protecting speech, not squashing it

Freedom of speech is a prerequisite for a free society, and a fundamental human right guaranteed by every major human rights treaty. Upholding this right is essential for the protection of all of our human rights. 

State-driven censorship fuels cancel culture and a climate of fear. Once the state starts censoring “unpopular” speech, there is no logical stopping point.

Without free speech, every human right is imperiled

While laws that punish speech often impose different punishments and occur in different contexts, the foundation is often very similar. For example, blasphemy laws and “hate speech” laws are both state-driven censorship grounded in the idea that some words are simply too offensive to be heard.

In a free society, ideas should be challenged with ideas, not censorship

As international human rights advocates with deep expertise in defending the right to free speech, ADF International is uniquely positioned to address the escalating censorship crisis in Brazil.

Our work focuses on the international institutions – including the Organization of American States – which were set up to ensure states respect their human rights commitments.

In Brazil, our work includes petitioning the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to intervene and protect the fundamental right to free speech in Brazil, holding the state to account for violating its international legal obligations.

Latest News

February 20, 2026

X challenges €120m fine under EU censorship law at top European court

In December, the European Commission fined X €120m under the Digital Services Act, an online censorship law X is challenging the fine at the General Court of the European Union,
Read More

More Resources

CENSORED: How European "Hate Speech" Laws are Threatening Free Speech

Paul Coleman, ADF International Executive Director

Order Your Copy Now

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

A Guide to Understanding

The Digital Services Act

ADF International on Global Censorship

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*

Statement of Faith

Based on our adherence to the inspired, infallible, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God in Scripture, we profess with the Christian Church throughout time and around the world the faith expressed in the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.