Uneven freedom of speech in Europe

Around 3.7 million people rallied across France after 17 people were killed in attacks in Paris and more than 40 world leaders marched with them shoulder to shoulder. According to the Ministry of the Interior of France, the demonstration was larger than the rallies staged when Paris was liberated from the Nazis in World War II. The gathered crowd was described as the largest in France's modern history.

Millions condemned the Charlie Hebdo killings; it was different than millions of other massacres and slaughters because it was seen as an attack on freedom of speech. In the wake of the attack, the world seemed to me in a way to think that there is nothing greater than freedom of expression. I thought people had the right to speak freely about everything and to criticize or mock anything no matter whether it is sacred or precious to others. The holy idea of freedom of speech is superior to everything. Paris was like an outdoor temple revering divine free speech.

However, a few days after this historic rally, French authorities arrested more than 50 people on charges of glorifying or defending terrorism. According to reports, some of them could face sentencing of up to seven years for inciting terrorism online if found guilty. You see how I am confused. I thought we could attack anything with words, it was free.

The controversial comedian Dieudonne Mbala Mbala was among those taken into custody for posting a comment on his Facebook wall. He wrote: "After this historic march what do I say... Legendary. Instant magic equal to the Big Bang that created the universe. To a lesser extent (more local) comparable to the coronation of Vercingetorix, I finally returned home. You know that tonight, as far as I'm concerned I feel like Charlie Coulibaly."

He merged the slogan "Je suis Charlie" used in the tribute for those killed at Charlie Hebdo, and Amedy Coulibaly, the gunman at the kosher market. Obviously, Mbala Mbala attended the unity march in Paris, and when he returned home he used his right to free speech expressing his confusion on his Facebook wall. Then what made the French prosecutors open a case against him?

I know the French law does not protect unrestricted free speech for everything. For example, condoning terrorism is a crime and denying the Holocaust is banned in France. But after the millions-strong march, I thought that things were changed and that the new divine law was freedom of speech, and that there was nothing superior to it. I was wrong. Coulibaly attacked a kosher market and there were Jew-related matters holier than everything else, since Jews cannot be criticized, mocked or insulted. After all the marches, all the unity messages and saluting the freedom of expression, does it not look like hypocrisy? As a matter of fact, Charlie Hebdo, too, depicted itself against any authority, any sanctity, anyone or anything claiming supremacy, but it had double standards when it came to Israel. Was it not hypocrisy?

It is ironic that millions in the West marched to defend Charlie Hebdo's right to attack and insult Islamic values and Muslims, while individuals have been arrested for raising their voices when they expressed their confusion. I mean, the Israeli lawmaker Ayelet Shaked published a call on her Facebook wall for genocide of Palestinians last summer, but no one even cared. She quoted the late Uri Elitzur and declared that all Palestinians are the enemy. She justified Palestine's destruction including the elderly and women. She called for the massacre of Palestinian mothers giving birth to "little snakes."

If Shaked's call is under the protection of the freedom of speech, then Mbala Mbala should also be.

But while the mouths speaking sounds and the fingers typing letters are not equal, how can their rights of freedom of expression be?