If someone is jailed by the government for speaking, then they're not free to speak.
When people talk about not being free of consequences of speech, they're talking about things that nobody is entitled to... for instance:
- being thought highly of
- being invited to social functions
- having a TV show
- being free from criticism
... not denial of actual rights, like protection against detention by the government without due process.
Yes, but I think it could be a slippery slope. Hopefully not, but the possibility is there.