Human Rights and the Arab Spring: The Cases of Tunisia and Egypt

The Arab Spring had stalled, with Islamist movements focusing on identity and religious ethics, and the old guards of the "deep state" establishments countering the revolutions. This has raised questions about the Middle East's compatibility with democracy and international human rights standards. The book "Human Rights and the Arab Spring" will examine these questions and make a case for a contemporary Arabian Magna Carta to hold people in power accountable and build a legal foundation for democratization, liberalization, and secularization in the region.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 277 pages
\n Publication date: 30 June 2019
\n Publisher: Academica Press
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Four years after the Arab Spring, the prospects of a unifying political reform narrative in the Arab World were noticeably dwindling. The unprecedented opportunity for a regional workshop of reform and state building had stalled, with Islamist movements more anxious about questions of identity and religious ethics, and with the old guards of the "deep state" establishments (mainly military or religious personnel) countering the revolutions, rather than being concerned with constitutionalism. Generally, both incoming governments and governments clinging to a single thread trying to fight the tides of change have lapsed to reliance on police power to curtail protests, thus raising crucial questions, whether "orientalist" or otherwise intentionally regressive: Have post-revolution events proved that the Middle East is incompatible with democracy and international human rights standards? Would entrenching such concepts in the Middle East be doomed to fail?

The book will examine these questions as they unfolded during the Arab Spring, which sparked in January 2011, first in Tunisia, and then to six other Arab countries, including the most populous one, Egypt. Human Rights and the Arab Spring will highlight, analyze, and contrast, from a "human rights law" perspective, the situation in Tunisia – the success model of the Arab Spring – before and after the "Jasmine Revolution," and in Egypt, the Arab Springs most notable failure – before the 2011 revolution and after the subsequent "counter-revolution," which was led by the military establishment. The book's ultimate goal is to make a case for a contemporary Arabian Magna Carta, a durable legal document that can be used to hold people in power (whether monarchs or dynastic "monarchical presidencies") to acc.

The Arab Spring was a period of significant political and social upheaval that swept through the Arab world in 2011. It was triggered by a series of factors, including economic inequality, political repression, and social injustice. The protests that erupted in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and other countries were driven by a desire for greater democracy, human rights, and social justice.

The Arab Spring was marked by a wave of protests, demonstrations, and uprisings that challenged the authoritarian regimes that had ruled the Arab world for decades. The protests were led by a diverse range of groups, including youth activists, political parties, and religious organizations. The most notable protests were in Tunisia, where a young man named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest of government corruption and economic inequality. Bouazizi's death sparked a wave of protests that eventually led to the overthrow of the Tunisian president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The Arab Spring also had a significant impact on the political landscape of the Arab world. The protests led to the emergence of new political parties and movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood and the Egyptian Freedom Party. These groups were committed to promoting democracy, human rights, and social justice in the Arab world.

However, the Arab Spring was also marked by a wave of violence and instability. The protests were often met with violent repression by the authoritarian regimes that were being challenged. In Egypt, for example, the military government cracked down on protesters with brutal force, killing hundreds and imprisoning thousands. In Libya, the conflict between government forces and rebel groups led to a civil war that has lasted for more than seven years.

The Arab Spring also raised important questions about the future of the Arab world. Some analysts argued that the protests were a sign of a new era of political and social change in the Arab world, while others argued that the Arab world was doomed to continue its cycle of authoritarianism and instability.

In conclusion, the Arab Spring was a period of significant political and social upheaval that had a profound impact on the Arab world. The protests were driven by a desire for greater democracy, human rights, and social justice, and they led to the overthrow of several authoritarian regimes. However, the Arab Spring was also marked by a wave of violence and instability, and it raised important questions about the future of the Arab world. It is important to continue to monitor the situation in the Arab world and to work towards promoting greater democracy, human rights, and social justice in the region.

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Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781680534702\n \n