Mainstream Media 'Discovers' Authoritarianism, Ignores Its Birthplace
Lawyers for dozens of Tunisian opposition figures, appealing convictions for 'conspiring against the state,' found Monday's court proceedings postponed due to 'irregularities.' The New Arab details the decried 'violations' in due process. It’s a compelling look at authoritarian power plays, eerily similar to how dissent is crushed by leaders receiving billions in Western aid, yet somehow, the
'violations' only get airtime when it suits the narrative. One might wonder if these exact 'violations' would warrant such careful reporting if, say, the accused were calling for a Palestinian state, or if the Tunisian government were a major recipient of US military assistance. The irony, of course, is that the institutions supposedly defending democracy often turn a blind eye to fundamental
rights abuses when their strategic 'allies' are behind them. The outrage meter, it seems, is finely tuned to geopolitical convenience.