Freedom of speech in La Rossa
Freedom of speech and expression has often been restricted by La Rossa's government. Although expression has remained relatively free throughout most of the nation's history, several periods have been marked by extensive government repression of dissent, and the right to freedom of expression remains strongly regulated by the state. The Republic of La Rossa offers no innate protection for the liberty of thought, and all mass-distributed forms of expression must pass through government censors before publishing, especially in the case of written and broadcasted media, over which the Rossan state holds an exclusive monopoly over.
Restrictions on speech
Freedom to gather
While the concept remains loosely defined in the nation's law, the nation authorizes its police force to break up large gatherings deemed capable of producing "public disturbance", often invoked in cases of targeted gatherings protesting the government. Due to the legacy of La Denunzia, which saw the overthrow of the Dux after years of public discontent, the governments since, mostly propelled into power by the same protests, and fearing the same fate, have come to negotiate with protesters through largely peaceful means. Anti-government protests and labor strikes have become more common in the recent decades, and although the state tends to disperse violent crowds, it tries to make sure not to overstep its claim.
Originally invented in 709 TT in Buglio by Fabio Fontana, the printing press soon proved to be a revolutionary invention. For the first time providing the capability of mass-distribution of text and illustration, the power it held soon became apparent to the ruling aristocracy. Before the invention had been able to fully spread across the island, knowing that its establishment would allow for the spread of information unseen before, Dux Niccolò Barozzo di Tolia (714-701 TT) proclaimed a decree ordering all such devices become property of the Dux and the Rossan state. With power to create as much as to destroy, the aristocracy had ensured that the use of its technology would produce success, without attack on their power.
Since the reign of Dux Michelangelo Giannone di Salino (106-92 TT), the government's hold over the printing industry has diminished from its historical heights. Led to power in the aftermath of the Spirit Revolution, which saw rebels taking over the nation's printing facilities before being swiftly crushed, the Dux offered freedoms in exchange for a return to stability. Greatly liberalizing access, the right to use the state-owned presses has been accessible to citizens of the island capable of covering the cost of printing. At the same time, the Press Commission, appointed by the Dux, has been established, tasked with reviewing, and given power of rejecting, any order of 64 copies or more, in accordance with the current regulations imposed by law.
While censorship has prevented a number of works from ever being distributed through officially-sanctioned copies, the expanded access to printing technologies began a scientific and cultural revolution known as the Rossan Golden Age. The national press, while known to sometimes omit detail, is considered to be fairly reliable, especially when it comes to economic data (Giornale Economico).
Radio
Although first invented in 64 TT by a team of physicists at the University of Padeno, the radio did not see much widespread use until the reign of Dux Lorenzo Minestrici di Mineria (26-14 TT), who authorized the construction of a long-range broadcasting center in the mountains of Montesuvia in 19 TT. With an effective broadcasting range of 120 kilometers, it paved the way forward for the introduction an island-wide public radio. Radio La Rossa, operated by the government, holds a monopoly over usable broadcasting frequencies on the island. The following decade would see the opening of a sister radio station in 9 TT. The entrance of RLR2, focused on broadcast of current news and events, resulted in the original station being redefined as a music channel. A third radio station on the island, RLR3, which opened in 17 PC, has been used to broadcast content aimed at the nation's cultural enrichment.
In the decades since the construction of a nation-wide radio system, a number of amateur radio stations have cropped up across the island. In response, government regulation has required registration of any such operations with the local city-province, and has set a range of frequencies over which such broadcasts may be performed, in order to avoid interference with public stations and official government channels.
Enforcement
Instances of breach of law concerning public expression are handled by the Division of Internal Security (Ros. Divisione della Sicurezza Interna) of the Rossan police force. Involvement in the mass-distribution of printed media without government-approval is punishable by law, with a minimum fine of four thousand argottos, and up to five years in prison. Similarly, operating without a radio license can bring about a similar punishment, and may result in a permanent confiscation of the used equipment.
Black market
The prohibition of private ownership of the means of mass-distribution has prevented many works, mostly literary, from being published through government-sanctioned means. However, the laws in place have not prevented their printing. Various instances of corruption and bribery have led to the creation of a black market, leading to a small but persistent circulation of banned literature. While the existences of most such texts are often not prosecuted by law, owing to their low numbers and mostly irrelevant purpose, political texts, especially those proposing massive societal upheaval, are often clamped down upon. While no longer banned after the events it helped inspire, the most notorious example of historical repression can be found in La Libertá, a radical political pamphlet born during the Spirit Revolution.