Lost Opportunities
What does freedom of expression mean to you? The civil right includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, or in the form of art, or through any other media. Freedom of expression carries with it the responsibility not to cause harm to the rights and reputation of others, and of the protection of national security or of public health or morals.
In general, people are not deprived of the universal individual right of freedom of expression if they speak, write or publish in the legitimate way. A latent social and political benefit of open discussion of hot societal issues is that it provides a safety valve for people to let off their steam so that they can adapt to societal changes, maintaining stability in the dynamic process. From the good governance perspective, the extent of freedom of expression and accountability of a government or State is a key performance indicator.
It is not uncommon that people get carried away with the freedom as if they can impart information and ideas in whatever way they like, from undermining the protection of national security to infringing others' copyright. While a person is answerable and responsible for his/her acts or omissions, a person who acts as an agent would render the principal accountable. In the public international context, a government agent's behaviour, if vigorously practised, could constitute a State's special custom and part of the customary international law.
In my 40 years of civil service with the Hong Kong (SAR) Government, I was discreet with my expression as what I said, wrote or published via any media could commit the Government in some ways. I had acted like a diplomat when representing Hong Kong, and then Hong Kong, China, at international institutions such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (as a United Kingdom delegate 1992-1997 and a China delegate 1997-2013). Having retired, I now exercise my freedom by publishing as much as I can to make up for my lost opportunities!