Freedom of Expression

Freedom of Expression

We work for freedom of expression for all, from circumventing censorship, to promoting rights-respecting solutions to regulating online speech, to standing up for those who are silenced for speaking truth to power.

#FreeAlaa campaign

#FreeAlaa: You Have Not Yet Been Defeated

Despite serving a prejudiced and unfair five-year long prison sentence, British-Egyptian activist, blogger, and software developer Alaa Abd El-Fattah remains unlawfully imprisoned by Egyptian authorities.

Related Issues

Latest Updates

Digital censorship
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Access Nowโ€™s statement on Nepalโ€™s escalating digital repression and deadly crackdown

9 Sep 2025 โ€ข

Access Now is deeply alarmed by the government of Nepalโ€™s violent crackdown on human rights, both online and off.

Press Release
Access Nowโ€™s statement on Nepalโ€™s escalating digital repression and deadly crackdown
9 Sep 2025
Access Nowโ€™s statement on Nepalโ€™s escalating digital repression and deadly crackdown
Africa Digital Safety Tips
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

LGBTQ+ Ghanaians found freedom online – now they might lose it

8 Aug 2025
News
LGBTQ+ Ghanaians found freedom online – now they might lose it
Context ↗
8 Aug 2025
LGBTQ+ Ghanaians found freedom online – now they might lose it
Shutdowns in Myanmar
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Myanmarโ€™s digital crackdown is worsening: the world is stepping back

17 Jul 2025
News
Myanmarโ€™s digital crackdown is worsening: the world is stepping back
Tech Policy Press ↗
17 Jul 2025
Myanmarโ€™s digital crackdown is worsening: the world is stepping back
Internet Shutdowns
Internet Shutdowns

Tell MENA authorities: #NoExamShutdown

27 Jun 2025 โ€ข

Year after year, the MENA region has led the world in exam-related shutdowns. It’s time to take action and demand change! #NoExamShutdown

Campaign
Tell MENA authorities: #NoExamShutdown
27 Jun 2025
Tell MENA authorities: #NoExamShutdown
Freedom of expression
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Bahrain: halt repressive amendments to the press law

25 Jun 2025 โ€ข

Access Now calls on Bahrainโ€™s Shura Council to reject the governmentโ€™s proposed amendments to the Law on Press, Printing, and Publishing.

Press Release
Bahrain: halt repressive amendments to the press law
25 Jun 2025
Bahrain: halt repressive amendments to the press law
Freedom of expression
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Authorities in Jordan must lift ban on news sites

23 May 2025 โ€ข

All stakeholders need to work together to find long-term solutions to complex societal issues, which are based on scientific evidence, and are respectful of rights.

Press Release
Authorities in Jordan must lift ban on news sites
23 May 2025
Authorities in Jordan must lift ban on news sites
Image shows a deteriorated electrical plug shaped like rubik cube, connecting to an elecrical port shaped like an unlocked padlock.
Connectivity
Connectivity

ู†ุญูˆ ู…ุณุชู‚ุจู„ ุฑู‚ู…ูŠ ุขู…ู† ูˆุญุฑ ููŠ ุณูˆุฑูŠุง

22 May 2025 โ€ข

ุฑูุน ุงู„ุนู‚ูˆุจุงุช ุนู† ุณูˆุฑูŠุง ุฎุทูˆุฉ ู…ู‡ู…ุฉ ู†ุญูˆ ุงู„ุชู‚ุฏู‘ู…ุŒ ู„ูƒู† ู„ุง ูŠุฒุงู„ ุฃู…ุงู… ุงู„ุณูˆุฑูŠูŠู† ุงู„ูƒุซูŠุฑ ู„ุจู†ุงุก ู…ุณุชู‚ุจู„ ุฑู‚ู…ูŠ ุญุฑ ูˆุขู…ู† ูˆู…ูุชูˆุญ.

Post
ู†ุญูˆ ู…ุณุชู‚ุจู„ ุฑู‚ู…ูŠ ุขู…ู† ูˆุญุฑ ููŠ ุณูˆุฑูŠุง
22 May 2025
ู†ุญูˆ ู…ุณุชู‚ุจู„ ุฑู‚ู…ูŠ ุขู…ู† ูˆุญุฑ ููŠ ุณูˆุฑูŠุง
Image shows a deteriorated electrical plug shaped like rubik cube, connecting to an elecrical port shaped like an unlocked padlock.
Connectivity
Connectivity

Reclaiming Syriaโ€™s digital future

22 May 2025
Post
Reclaiming Syriaโ€™s digital future
22 May 2025
Reclaiming Syriaโ€™s digital future
Ceasefire in Gaza
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

CPDP must resist pressure to muzzle discussions on Palestine

22 May 2025 โ€ข

Human rights NGOs and academics condemn efforts to muzzle discussion of the genocide in Gaza at the 2025 CPDP conference in Brussels.

Press Release
CPDP must resist pressure to muzzle discussions on Palestine
22 May 2025
CPDP must resist pressure to muzzle discussions on Palestine
Regulating digital platforms
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Civil society warns of human rights risks in Mexicoโ€™s telecom reform

21 May 2025
Press Release
Civil society warns of human rights risks in Mexicoโ€™s telecom reform
21 May 2025
Civil society warns of human rights risks in Mexicoโ€™s telecom reform
Ghanaโ€™s anti-LGBTQ+ bill
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Organizaciones alertan por riesgos a derechos humanos en reforma de telecomunicaciones en Mรฉxico

21 May 2025
Press Release
Organizaciones alertan por riesgos a derechos humanos en reforma de telecomunicaciones en Mรฉxico
21 May 2025
Organizaciones alertan por riesgos a derechos humanos en reforma de telecomunicaciones en Mรฉxico
how social media companies increase risks for LGBTQ+ people in Africa
Digital Security
Digital Security

How Ugandaโ€™s anti-LGBTQ+ laws entrap people online

15 May 2025 โ€ข

As we mark the IDAHOBIT 2025, we highlight research on Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws and show how they can lead to digital entrapment and human rights violations.

Post
How Ugandaโ€™s anti-LGBTQ+ laws entrap people online
15 May 2025
How Ugandaโ€™s anti-LGBTQ+ laws entrap people online
KeepItOn header
Internet Shutdowns
Internet Shutdowns

#KeepItOn: ะšั€ะตะผะปัŒ ะดะพะปะถะตะฝ ะฒะพะทะดะตั€ะถะฐั‚ัŒัั ะพั‚ ะพั‚ะบะปัŽั‡ะตะฝะธะน ะฒะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฝะฐั†ะธะพะฝะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ั… ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบะพะฒ ะธ ะผะตั€ะพะฟั€ะธัั‚ะธะน

12 May 2025 โ€ข

ะะธะถะต ะฟะพะดะฟะธัะฐะฒัˆะธะตัั ั€ะตัˆะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพ ะพััƒะถะดะฐัŽั‚ ะพั‚ะบะปัŽั‡ะตะฝะธั ะธะฝั‚ะตั€ะฝะตั‚ะฐ, ะฒะฒะตะดั‘ะฝะฝั‹ะต ั€ะพััะธะนัะบะธะผะธ ะฒะปะฐัั‚ัะผะธ ะฝะฐะบะฐะฝัƒะฝะต ะธ ะฒะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะพะฒะฐะฝะธั 80-ะปะตั‚ะธั ะŸะพะฑะตะดั‹ ะฒะพ ะ’ั‚ะพั€ะพะน ะผะธั€ะพะฒะพะน ะฒะพะนะฝะต.

Press Release
#KeepItOn: ะšั€ะตะผะปัŒ ะดะพะปะถะตะฝ ะฒะพะทะดะตั€ะถะฐั‚ัŒัั ะพั‚ ะพั‚ะบะปัŽั‡ะตะฝะธะน ะฒะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฝะฐั†ะธะพะฝะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ั… ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบะพะฒ ะธ ะผะตั€ะพะฟั€ะธัั‚ะธะน
12 May 2025
#KeepItOn: ะšั€ะตะผะปัŒ ะดะพะปะถะตะฝ ะฒะพะทะดะตั€ะถะฐั‚ัŒัั ะพั‚ ะพั‚ะบะปัŽั‡ะตะฝะธะน ะฒะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฝะฐั†ะธะพะฝะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ั… ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบะพะฒ ะธ ะผะตั€ะพะฟั€ะธัั‚ะธะน
KeepItOn header
Internet Shutdowns
Internet Shutdowns

#KeepItOn: The Kremlin must refrain from imposing internet shutdowns during key national events

12 May 2025 โ€ข

The undersigned human rights organizations call on the UK government to take immediate action to free Alaa, and save his mother’s life.

Press Release
#KeepItOn: The Kremlin must refrain from imposing internet shutdowns during key national events
12 May 2025
#KeepItOn: The Kremlin must refrain from imposing internet shutdowns during key national events
Digital censorship
Content Governance
Content Governance

Access Now’s statement on digital censorship amid Indiaโ€“Pakistan conflict

9 May 2025 โ€ข

We are alarmed by executive orders issued by the Indian government restricting access to an alarming spectrum of online content, including requiring social media platform X to block access to over 8,000 accounts, including those belonging to journalists, human rights organisations, and independent media outlets.

Press Release
Access Now’s statement on digital censorship amid Indiaโ€“Pakistan conflict
9 May 2025
Access Now’s statement on digital censorship amid Indiaโ€“Pakistan conflict
NSO
Surveillance
Surveillance

NSO to pay $168 million in damages to WhatsApp for Pegasus spyware hackingย 

6 May 2025
Press Release
NSO to pay $168 million in damages to WhatsApp for Pegasus spyware hackingย 
6 May 2025
NSO to pay $168 million in damages to WhatsApp for Pegasus spyware hackingย