Free Speech

Freedom of expression is the foundation of every other right. From journalists and students to activists and artists, the ACLU of Puerto Rico defends the right of all people to speak, protest, and share ideas without fear of censorship, retaliation, or government control.

Free Speech

What you need to know

1937

The ACLU’s first free speech investigation in Puerto Rico followed the Ponce Massacre, when peaceful demonstrators were violently repressed by police.

85+

Years later, Puerto Ricans continue to face barriers to protest, assembly, and access to government information.

1st Amendment

Freedom of speech and protest are protected under the U.S. and Puerto Rico Constitutions — rights the ACLU defends in courts and in the streets.

Protect the Right to Speak and Protest

The ACLU of Puerto Rico defends those who raise their voices against injustice. We work to protect journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens exercising their constitutional rights. You can support this effort by amplifying independent reporting, joining peaceful demonstrations, or donating to sustain our advocacy for free expression and government accountability.

Key Issues

Free speech means more than just words — it’s the right to challenge power, expose truth, and demand change. The ACLU of Puerto Rico works to ensure that every person can speak freely and participate in public life without fear.

Protest Rights: Ensuring the government does not restrict demonstrations or use force to silence dissent.

Press Freedom: Defending journalists and media workers from censorship, retaliation, or violence.

Government Transparency: Challenging secrecy and promoting public access to information.

Academic and Artistic Freedom: Protecting educators and creators who express controversial or critical ideas.

ACLU of Puerto Rico

The Latest

Press Release
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Court victory defending freedom of expression and public oversight of prison conditions

The court rejected an attempt at prior restraint against an organization that exposes the conditions faced by the incarcerated population, in a case represented by the ACLU of Puerto Rico and the Legal Aid Clinic of the Inter American University School of Law.
Issue Areas: Free Speech
Court Cases: Carolina Catering Corp. v. Defensoría de los Derechos Carcelarios
Press Release
Sistemas de lectura automática de tablillas (ALPRs) en Puerto Rico.

Mass surveillance proposals under consideration by the legislature threaten constitutional protections

The ACLU of Puerto Rico warned that while public safety is a shared goal, that objective is not achieved by violating rights—as is the case with Senate Bill 974, House Bill 897, and Senate Joint Resolution 198.
Issue Areas: Privacy & Technology, Free Speech
Press Release
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Federal Appeals Court Unanimously Strikes Down Puerto Rico’s COVID-Era Censorship Law

The law chilled journalists’ reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic and threatened press freedom during declared emergencies
Issue Areas: Free Speech
Court Cases: Sandra Rodríguez-Cotto v. Pedro R. Pierluisi-Urrutia
Press Release
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The ACLU of Puerto Rico and legal organizations urge the U.S. Court of Appeals to maintain the block on President Trump’s unconstitutional attacks against Harvard

Last year, the Court blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to seize ideological control over Harvard University
Issue Areas: Free Speech

Cases, Campaigns & Legislation

Legislation
Mar 5, 2026

Senate Bill 331

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending civil and human rights and access to public information, opposes Senate Bill 331, which seeks to amend the Demographic Registry Act to declare all certificates issued by that office confidential and to restrict who may access them by redefining the concept of an “interested party.” The ACLU of Puerto Rico argues that this measure effectively attempts to overturn judicial decisions that recognized the right of the press and the public to access death certificates of high public interest, thereby undermining freedom of expression, freedom of the press, transparency, and government accountability. It further warns that SB 331 constitutes an attack on the separation of powers by trying to legislatively undo what the courts have already decided, promotes censorship under the pretext of protecting privacy, and, by limiting access to essential data, weakens journalistic and scientific investigations as well as democratic processes, and therefore the organization urges its rejection. Status: https://sutra.oslpr.org/medidas/153837
Status: Firmado por el/la gobernador/a
Legislation
Mar 5, 2026

Senate Bill 63

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights and defending access to public information, warns that Senate Bill 63—which proposes, among other changes, extending from 10 to 20 working days the period agencies have to respond to information requests, lengthening the extension period up to 40 days, and adding additional technical requirements—constitutes in practice a setback to the constitutional right of access to information and to citizen oversight. The ACLU of Puerto Rico believes that these amendments unjustifiably delay access to data of high public interest, open the door to greater opacity and bureaucracy, and could even strip this right of its substance, and therefore urges the rejection of SB 63. Status: https://sutra.oslpr.org/medidas/152452
Status: Firmado por el/la gobernador/a