Protest crackdowns, banned marches, media workers at risk \– a UN expert on Friday accused Western nations and Israel of freedom of speech violations in the year since the Gaza war broke out. “No conflict in recent times has threatened freedom of expression so seriously or so far beyond its borders than Gaza,” UN special rapporteur Irene Khan told reporters as she presented her report, “Global threats to freedom of expression arising from the conflict in Gaza.” The Bangladeshi human rights lawyer, who has been the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of o…