Freedom of Expression… For Me, But Not for You: How Authorities and Security Agencies Suppress Defenders of Human Dignity and Gaza Solidarity

As the world witnesses one of the most horrific humanitarian disasters in Gaza—characterized by genocide and systematic starvation—human rights activists and protesters opposing these crimes are facing organized repression carried out by security and intelligence agencies across several countries.

Instead of upholding freedom of opinion and expression, which are core pillars of democracy, these institutions have become tools to silence free voices and imprison advocates for the Palestinian cause—blatantly violating international laws and treaties that safeguard basic freedoms.

Intelligence Agencies as Tools of Injustice

Security agencies in many states employ sophisticated and systematic mechanisms to suppress human rights defenders. This repression begins with surveillance and espionage and extends to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance.

False charges such as “incitement,” “terrorism,” or “threatening national security” are frequently used—vague accusations that enable authorities to silence any voice that opposes war crimes in Gaza or defends the rights of its victims.

To legitimize these violations, state-controlled and intelligence-backed media spread false and misleading narratives that tarnish the image of activists, labeling them as “agents” or “troublemakers.” In this context, propaganda plays a central role in shaping a public atmosphere that accepts repression as a so-called “security necessity.”

Hypocrisy in Western Universities

The selective application of free speech principles in the West—particularly in the United States and Europe—has been glaringly evident when it comes to the Palestinian cause.

We have witnessed widespread crackdowns on student-led movements at American and European universities that organized peaceful sit-ins demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza. Instead of listening to their demands, they were swiftly accused of “antisemitism” in an attempt to criminalize humanitarian and political support for the Palestinian people.

In several cases, police were summoned to forcibly disperse these sit-ins. Students were beaten with batons, expelled arbitrarily from their academic institutions, or even evicted from university housing.

This blatant contradiction reveals that free speech in the West is conditional—tolerated only when it aligns with political interests, while dissenting voices, particularly those critical of Israeli policies, are treated as security threats rather than as legitimate expressions of opinion.

Double Standards in Freedom of Expression

The global human rights landscape today reflects a grim reality of moral contradiction. While freedom of expression is celebrated when it aligns with ruling regimes or major geopolitical interests, it is brutally suppressed when it seeks to defend the Palestinian people or expose the crimes of occupation in Gaza.

Many governments ignore the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Emergency laws and special legislation are imposed to restrict civil liberties under flimsy security pretexts.

The global movement opposing the genocide in Gaza—whether through protests, digital campaigns, or legal advocacy—is being met with repression and intimidation in numerous countries. Public spaces are closed off, solidarity gatherings are banned, participants are arrested, and organizers are summoned for questioning—part of a broader effort to intimidate and silence dissent.

In many cases, there is transnational security cooperation to pursue activists across borders, in a clear violation of their rights to asylum and protection.

Position of the International Congress for Protecting the Rights and Freedom of Citizens (SHIELD)

We at the International Congress for Protecting the Rights and Freedom of Citizens (SHIELD) strongly condemn this repressive approach carried out by intelligence and security agencies against any movement opposing the genocide facing the Palestinian people in Gaza.

We hold these regimes—whether by their silence or active participation in silencing voices of justice—morally and legally accountable. They are complicit, directly or indirectly, in grave human rights violations.

The suppression of human rights defenders not only weakens the global movement for justice, but also threatens the foundations of international law. It drags us back to an era of authoritarianism we thought had long passed.

We call on the international community, human rights institutions, and global organizations to take urgent action to protect activists, end complicity with repressive regimes, and reaffirm the dignity of the human being—a dignity that must never be negotiable.

Human Rights Monitor – International Congress SHIELD (European Union Branch)
July 28, 2025