‘Apologists for terrorism’: dissent and the limits of free expression
SOURCE Written by Frances Webber Freedom of thought, expression and inquiry is under renewed threat from governments which, paradoxically, claim to be fighting to preserve freedom of expression in Europe. The ongoing case of a Belgian prison teacher issued with a work ban on national security grounds, and other disturbing cases of exclusion and criminalisation that have occurred in France since the Paris massacres, need to be placed at the centre of mainstream debate. When Belgian prison teacher and human rights defender Luk Vervaet was finally told why he was barred from going to any Belgian prison – and he had had to fight for years for the right to know – it was his activism in support of freedom of expression and association, his solidarity work in defence of prisoners, and his work on Palestine which were held to justify the ban.The security services cited his membership of organisations such as CLEA (Committee for Freedom of Expression and Associa