Society for the Defense of Freedom of Expression

Společnost pro obranu svobody projevu (SOSP), known in English as the Society for the Defense of Freedom of Expression, is a Czech registered institute and think tank founded on 28 January 2021. It grew out of the Stop cenzuře (Stop Censorship) initiative launched in September 2020 by video-game developer Daniel Vávra, publicist Marian Kechlibar, consultant Vlastimil Veselý and other figures. That initiative published an online petition, "Zastavme nové formy cenzury" (Let Us Stop New Forms of Censorship), which gathered over 22,000 signatures within five months and was later debated by the Czech Chamber of Deputies' Petitions Committee and Media Committee. The organization's stated mission is to support freedom of speech as a fundamental condition of democracy and to defend against new forms of censorship on social networks, which it describes as becoming the main public forums of civic discussion. SOSP analyzes cases of online censorship, publishes legal analyses of European Union and Czech legislative proposals that could lead to greater content moderation, and organizes meetings and conferences. It awards annual Ceny za svobodu projevu (Prizes for Freedom of Expression) in several categories and maintains an active social-media presence commenting on Czech and international developments related to free speech. SOSP is a small, privately funded civil-society body that states it does not draw any subsidies and relies on public contributions. It cooperates internationally with the Free Speech Union (FSU), founded by British conservative commentator and member of the House of Lords Toby Young. Its founders were Daniel Vávra and Vlastimil Veselý, and its advisory board has included figures such as Martina Kociánová, Ivo Budil, Marian Kechlibar, Petr Drulák, Jana Zwyrtek Hamplová and Zbyněk Passer. Project managers have included Gabriela Sedláčková and Natálie Vachatová; in early 2026 Vachatová became an adviser to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on freedom of expression. The organization has been criticized for an overly conservative orientation and for insufficient space for criticism of verbal criminal offenses. The Czech Centre Against Hybrid Threats has accused it of spreading disinformation and conspiracy thinking. In September 2026 the Ministry of Justice accused SOSP of political lobbying without a permit, noting that it registered in the relevant register only in March of that year.

The Society for the Defense of Freedom of Expression (SOSP) emerged from the Stop cenzuře (Stop Censorship) initiative, which was launched in September 2020 by Daniel Vávra, co-founder of game studio Warhorse Studios, together with publicist Marian Kechlibar, consultant Vlastimil Veselý and other figures. The initiative's online petition, "Zastavme nové formy cenzury" (Let Us Stop New Forms of Censorship), hosted on Petice.com, called for legal rules governing global social networks that, according to the petitioners, delete or block various legal contributions and block users from the public information space. Early signatories included publicist Ondřej Neff, publicist Jefim Fištejn, Reflex editor-in-chief Marek Stoniš, businessman and politician Stanislav Bernard, investor and politician Zbyněk Passer, presidential spokesman Jiří Ovčáček, MEP Alexandr Vondra, MP Marek Benda and Senator Jitka Chalánková. The petition gathered 10,000 signatures in its first month and over 22,000 within five months. On 6 December 2022 it was discussed by the Petitions Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and on 13 April 2023 the Media Committee discussed its content, after which the petitioners also negotiated with government representatives. The organization itself was founded on 28 January 2021 by Daniel Vávra and Vlastimil Veselý. Its structure partly followed the earlier conservative think tank Institut 2080, whose structure had been involved in the 2015 founding of Petr Robejšek's party Realisté. As of March 2023, besides the founding pair, SOSP listed Gabriela Sedláčková and Natálie Vachatová as project managers and Martina Kociánová, Ivo Budil, Marian Kechlibar, Petr Drulák, Jana Zwyrtek Hamplová and Zbyněk Passer as members of its advisory board. SOSP conducts analysis of censorship cases on social networks. It focuses on criticism and legal analysis of European Union draft regulations and laws that could prompt social-network operators to intervene even more in user content. It awards annual freedom-of-expression prizes in several categories. Internationally, it works closely with the Free Speech Union (FSU), founded by British conservative commentator and member of the House of Lords Toby Young. The organization criticized the blocking of several Czech websites on 25 February 2022 by CZ.NIC, the domain provider, after consultation with the Czech government. These and other domains were subsequently blocked by several internet operators in coordination with the government. On 25 May 2022 CZ.NIC ended the blocking of the group of websites. In February 2024 the Municipal Court in Prague ruled that the blocking of websites by operators had been unlawful. In October 2022, Pivovar Bernard (Bernard Brewery), in cooperation with SOSP, launched a campaign against censorship and in support of the organization. In December 2023, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, SOSP sent an open letter to Prime Minister Petr Fiala objecting to activities monitoring public sentiment, a proposal to restrict content threatening national security, and the fight against disinformation from the Ministry of the Interior under Minister Vít Rakušan. On 12 October 2024, SOSP organized its first Conservative Camp at Hotel Samechov in Chocerady, Central Bohemia. Participants included Alexandr Vondra (ODS), Jan Zahradil (ODS), Patrik Nacher (ANO), Ondřej Dostál (Stačilo!), Jiří Kobza (SPD), Radek Vondráček (ANO), Aleš Juchelka (ANO), Petr Macinka (Motoristé sobě), Daniela Kovářová, energy entrepreneur Pavel Tykač, Dalibor Balšínek (Echo 24), Marek Stoniš (TO), Roman Joch, Michal Semín, Ladislav Jakl, Pavel Matocha, Ivo Budil, Martina Kociánová (Radio Universum) and Jana Jochová (Aliance pro rodinu). In November 2024, SOSP awarded its Freedom of Expression Prizes at the Royal Theatre in Prague-Vinohrady. A jury led by Vadim Petrov gave seven awards: to the Association of Microbiologists, Immunologists and Statisticians (SMIS), weekly Echo24, the Václav Klaus Institute, political scientist Petr Drulák, epidemiologist and vaccinologist Jiří Beran, physician and canoeist Lukáš Pollert, and publicist Cecílie Jílková. An honorary mention went to MP Oldřich Kužílek for co-authoring the law on free access to information. An anti-prize was awarded collectively to "all fighters for censorship, restriction of freedom of speech and their loyal and willing collaborators." The jury also included media council members Pavel Matocha and Angelika Bazalová, ombudsman Stanislav Křeček, journalist Zbyněk Petráček, moderator Martina Kociánová, commentators Miroslav Korecký and Karolina Stonjeková, Deník TO editor-in-chief Marek Stoniš and actor Marek Vašut. In May 2025, SOSP held another Conservative Camp at Hotel Jezerka in Seč u Chrudimi. Speakers included representatives of various political parties such as ANO, ODS, KDU-ČSL, Motoristé sobě, SPD and Stačilo!. In July 2025, SOSP criticized the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for banning the Budapest Pride festival. In early January 2026, SOSP politician and analyst Natálie Vachatová became an adviser to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on freedom of expression. In September 2026, the Ministry of Justice accused SOSP of political lobbying without a permit, noting that it had registered in the relevant register only in March of that year.

• Stop cenzuře initiative launched; petition "Zastavme nové formy cenzury" published

• SOSP founded by Daniel Vávra and Vlastimil Veselý

• CZ.NIC blocks several Czech websites after government consultation; SOSP criticizes the move

• CZ.NIC ends blocking of the group of websites

• Pivovar Bernard and SOSP launch anti-censorship campaign

• Petition discussed by the Petitions Committee of the Chamber of Deputies

• Media Committee discusses petition content

• Open letter to PM Petr Fiala on Human Rights Day

• Prague Municipal Court rules website blocking by operators unlawful

• First Conservative Camp held at Hotel Samechov

• Freedom of Expression Prizes awarded at Royal Theatre

• Second Conservative Camp held at Hotel Jezerka in Seč u Chrudimi

• SOSP criticizes Hungarian government over Budapest Pride ban

• Natálie Vachatová becomes adviser to PM Andrej Babiš on freedom of expression

• Ministry of Justice accuses SOSP of unregistered political lobbying

A Czech civil-society think tank and registered institute advocating freedom of speech and opposing online censorship, with a conservative orientation.

• Ceny za svobodu projevu (Freedom of Expression Awards)

  Annual awards in several categories, including an anti-prize for censorship advocates.

• Konzervativní fórum (Conservative Forum)

  Conference with discussion panels and speakers.

• Konzervativní kemp (Conservative Camp)

  Annual gathering of conservative politicians and commentators.

1. 1Společnost pro obranu svobody projevu - official websitesosp.cz
2. 2Společnost pro obranu svobody projevu - Czech Wikipediacs.wikipedia.org
3. 3Wikidata entrywikidata.org