U.S. Ally Tunisia: 'Democracy' Detains Human Rights Defender
The New Arab reports Tunisian police detained human rights defender Ayachi Hammami, fresh off a five-year sentence in a case rights groups call politically motivated. This comes as Tunisia, a supposed beacon of post-Arab Spring transition, continues its slide back into authoritarianism under President Kais Saied, who seized broad powers in 2021. Oddly, the State Department, ever vocal about
dissent in places like Russia or Iran, offers little more than a polite nod of 'concern.' One might wonder if the concern is less about human rights and more about maintaining 'stability' in a region where genuine democracy is often inconvenient. After all, a controlled strongman is much easier to manage for counter-terrorism efforts and migration policies than a truly free populace.