Their excuse – that they are busy drafting the constitution – just isn’t convincing.
Meanwhile a Christian Egyptian friend of mine called me from Tahrir Square. He was crying, and I honestly thought that maybe he got attacked there. But he was crying in happiness. The Muslim Brotherhood people celebrating there saw his cross on his hand, and they kept on hugging him and telling hi
Tunisia has been credited with having the most effective democratic transition in the region. This now risks being derailed by the reintroduction of repressive laws.
The group had a task in hand - defending protestors detained, facing charges or otherwise targeted by the SCAF - and they exuded confidence in their ability to methodically take on the military’s repression.
I am deeply disturbed to find myself confronted with a widespread and flagrant disregard for the basic human rights of Libya’s illegal migrant workers.
The result so far of what seems to be a never-ending controversy over blasphemy in Tunisia sometimes seems to be leading the country pell-mell to a civil war.
While Libyans are quietly proving that they can forgive, forget and move forward together, the current political and military powers in Libya seem intent on proving the opposite to the rest of the world.
Egypt's incoming president will enter office without a parliament to oppose him, with a military empowered to arrest and court-martial civilians at will, and a constitution based on that of the Mubarak era.
People are back in the squares and this time it is the judicial system that is their concern. Debate regarding how to achieve justice and accountability is intensifying, and oscillating between traditionalist and progressive arguments.
The downfall of Ben Ali has brought to the fore an ever-growing fan club of the newly-elected Islamist government to replace them.
