When the President is the Drain, and Dissent is Blocked
CASE A: Tunisia's Purging Critic: The Incident: Lawmaker Ahmed Saidani was arrested following a Facebook post mocking President Kais Saied, calling him the “supreme commander of sewage and rainwater drainage.” Saidani's criticism centered on what he perceived as Saied’s lack of achievements (Al-Monitor, Reuters, 2024). The Context: This isn't an isolated incident. Since consolidating power in 2021
by dissolving parliament and rewriting the constitution, Saied has overseen a widening crackdown on opposition figures, judges, and media (Human Rights Watch, 2023). Public mockery, it seems, is now a high crime. CASE B: The 'Leaders' We're Told to Tolerate: The Contrast: Consider the decidedly different treatment of leaders like Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Despite
credible allegations from the UN and US intelligence regarding his direct involvement in the 2018 assassination and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, MBS is routinely welcomed by Western leaders and business elites (Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 2021) The Framing: While Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader, was once denounced as a 'despot' for far
less, MBS is framed as a 'reformer' presiding over 'Vision 2030' (The Economist, 2019). His authoritarianism is conveniently overlooked in favor of lucrative arms deals and oil interests. THE FRAMING: Words That Distort Reality Tunisia: The media narrative often frames Saied's actions as regrettable but perhaps necessary steps for 'stability' in a fledgling democracy, or as a response to 'economic