The Enduring Playbook of 'Conspiracy Against the State'
CASE A: Tunisia's Current Crackdown The Al-Monitor report highlights the Tunisian appeal court's decision to increase sentences, including a 35-year term for Nadia Akacha, former chief of staff to President Kais Saied, and lengthier terms for opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi. The charges cited are 'conspiring against the state,' a broad legal instrument (Al-Monitor, February 2026). This framing
suggests a legitimate state action against threats to national security, emphasizing legal processes. The narrative often focuses on the specifics of the current administration's claims and the judiciary's role. CASE B: Historical Precedents of 'Conspiracy' Allegations Historically, the charge of 'conspiracy against the state' has been a ubiquitous tool for authoritarian consolidation. For
instance, in Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s, hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members were arrested and sentenced under similar pretexts, effectively dismantling organized political opposition. This was not about specific acts of violence, but about the very existence of an alternative power center. More recently, in Turkey, post-2016 coup attempt, thousands of academics, journalists,
and perceived opponents were charged with 'membership in an armed terrorist organization' or 'attempting to overthrow the constitutional order,' leading to mass incarcerations and purges (Amnesty International, 2017). The scale and targets differed, but the function of the legal mechanism remained consistent: suppressing dissent to secure ruling power. THE FRAMING: A Semantic Discrepancy In