Be careful what you say when traveling through these countries.
Some travelers coming to the United States are concerned about being detained or deported if immigration agents discover they are critical of the current administration. In response, many have started locking down their phones and deleting social media apps and messages before they cross the border.
While these fears are well-founded, it is not (yet) illegal to criticize the president or any other member of the government in the United States. However, negative statements about the head of state or monarchy in other countries around the world can land you in prison.
And it’s not just countries under authoritarian regimes like North Korea and China you need to worry about. Many countries that are otherwise democratic and value free speech are fiercely protective of their leaders. As a result, some outlaw statements that “insult” or criticize their leaders. Several countries have lèse-majesté laws that only criminalize statements critical of the royal family. Others go further and prohibit negative statements about the president, any governmental official, and even foreign heads of state.
Why Is It a Crime to Criticize the Government in Some Countries?
The reasons for these laws vary. Protection of national unity and order is a primary reason, says Michael Soud, an international attorney and co-founder of Travel Insighter.
“The idea is that scurrilous attacks on leaders or institutions could sow division,” he explains. Preserving the dignity of the highest offices in the land is another justification for these laws. “Especially in countries with monarchies or young republics, there’s an ethos that the head of state embodies the nation’s identity and the notion that insulting the head of state is an attack on the state itself.”
Other countries want to prevent “abuse” of free speech and want to make sure that criticisms do not cross that line, Soud says. In other countries, the belief that “malicious lies or obscene insults can harm not only reputations but also mislead the public” drives these laws, he explains.
What Happens if You Violate These Laws?
If you insult a monarch or governmental representative in a country where doing so is illegal, you risk being prosecuted for your crime. This is the case even if you made the derogatory or critical statements online. “In countries with these laws, foreigners have been arrested or prosecuted for offensive speech. This is not common, but it happens,” says Soud. Tourists have also been detained and questioned for making derogatory comments about the government, Soud says.
Where Is It Illegal to Criticize the Government?
Travelers need to know in advance where talking about the head of state in a negative light could get them in trouble. The below list is not exhaustive, so it’s important to research the laws in the countries you are visiting before you board the plane. If you are visiting a country where being critical of the government is against the law, Soud recommends scrubbing your social media of any statements before you arrive. While in the country, he suggests refraining from posting anything that could portray the government in a negative light while in the country and avoiding talking about local politics until you leave.
