The grip of Tunisian President Kais Saied on the country’s judicial institutions continues to draw fierce criticism from political figures and rights advocates.

From Ghinda to Keren and Asmara, the pattern repeats: historic Islamic schools closed, mosques demolished, and hundreds of scholars and preachers arrested or forcibly disappeared in a society where Muslims make up half the population.

Tunisia marks 4 years since Kais Saied’s coup overturned the constitution that gave him power after the 2019 elections, as opposition forces demand a return to democracy and the true promise of the Jasmine Revolution, freedom, dignity, and progress.

As American student protests in solidarity with Gaza face a crackdown, we're seeing a disturbing trend: narratives and practices reminiscent of justifications used by Arab dictatorships for the violent actions of their security forces are being replicated.