Town square test

Town square test is a threshold test for a free society proposed by a former Soviet dissident and human rights activist Natan Sharansky, now a notable politician in Israel.

In his book The Case for Democracy, published in 2004, Sharansky explains the term: "If a person cannot walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm, then that person is living in a fear society, not a free society. We cannot rest until every person living in a 'fear society' has finally won their freedom."^[1]

Usage

The test became famous after George W. Bush endorsed the book^[2] and Condoleezza Rice referenced it to characterize "a fear society" in her prepared remarks before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 18, 2005:

The world should apply what Natan Sharansky calls the "town square test": if a person cannot walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm, then that person is living in a fear society, not a free society. We cannot rest until every person living in a "fear society" has finally won their freedom.^[3]

Rice went on to identify Belarus, Burma, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Zimbabwe as examples of outposts of tyranny.^[3]

The case of Luis Robles Elizástigui and the "Town Square Test" in Cuba

Luis Robles Elizástigui,^[4] referred to as "the Young Man with the Sign,"^[5] is a Cuban citizen notable for his arrest and imprisonment following a peaceful protest in Havana on December 4, 2020.^[6] His case has been cited ^{[7][8] [9] [10]} as an example of Natan Sharansky's "Town Square Test," which posits that a society is a "fear society" if individuals cannot express their opinions publicly without facing arrest or harm. Robles was detained after standing on San Rafael Boulevard holding a sign demanding freedom and the release of imprisoned artist Denis Solís. He was later sentenced to five years in prison.^[11]

Robles' case has garnered significant attention from human rights organizations and media. Amnesty International designated him a prisoner of conscience,^[12] stating that his imprisonment stemmed solely from peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. Human Rights Watch classified him as a political prisoner,^[13] and characterized his detention as politically motivated. Robles' family said he was subjected to "humiliating treatment" in prison.^[14]

See also

• Democracy
• Political freedom
• Free speech zone