By Azza Heikal As long as we are alive, we are also free to think, speak and feel whatever we believe in. God has created all his creatures free. Human beings, however, were endowed with the responsibility and humanity. In other words, human beings are as free the air and as restricted as the earth, since they are responsible to their humanity. The more humanity moves towards civilisation and development, the more freedom is enhanced. Though freedom is perpetually misunderstood to mean chaos, freedom is actually responsibility and will, although some philosophers claim free will does not exist. Today, Egypt is writing its future anew after a white revolution against all the black forms of tyranny and oppression. Despite the great role played by the media in preparing the people for revolution, through exposing the corruption and the injustice of the old and rotten regime, the media is now facing a crucial existential moment grounded in its possibility of freedom. The new government, together with the powerful presence of the Muslim Brotherhood, is chasing down liberty and freedom according to its beliefs and political interests. In most democratic countries, freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed by law and the constitution. Unfortunately, old Egyptian laws still prevent writers as well as media personalities from exercising their rights freely and safely. Preventive custody or imprisoning publishers, writers and artists is a massive step backward and a retreat to the days prior to 25 January 2011. No free person would permit Egypt to be re-enslaved on the basis of claims such as "offending the president" or threatening the national "security of the state". Surely, we are all against insulting or defaming any citizen, but we are also all ready to fight fiercely to ensure that our human rights -- especially the right of freedom of expression and speech -- are protected. According to all human rights articles and declarations, every person has the right to speak, write and print whatever they wish, so long as this does not defame, abuse or threaten any other person. Truth, decency and audacity are the goods of that marketplace of ideas and words, whether in ink or on the airwaves. * This week's Soapbox speaker is dean of the Faculty of Language and Communication at Ain Shams University.
