,,iv  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #fac  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,july #be1 #bjbc ,mr4 
,phillips 7= himself & ,mr4 ,wilson (   
,s\? ,c>ol9a7 submitt$ ! foll[+         
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,=eign ,affairs  ,,resolution       
,recogniz+ ,tunisia's lead]%ip 9 ! ,arab
 ,spr+ & express+ support = uphold+ its 
democratic pr9ciples & norms4  ,:]eas1  
on ,decemb] #ag1 #bjaj1 #bf-ye>-old     
fruit & vegetable /reet v5dor ,moham$   
,b\azizi lit himself on fire 9 desp]ate 
prote/ 9 ,sidi ,b\zid1 ,tunisia1 an act 
t 0 l>gely se5 z ! beg9n+ ( ! ,arab     
,spr+ movem5t t spread ?r\gh\t ! region2
 ,:]eas ensu+ popul> prote/s 9 ,tunisia 
9 response to ! ,b5 ,ali regime's de    
facto "o-p>ty rule1 corruption1         
repression ( civil lib]ties1 & economic 
nepotism--  7#a7 =c$ ! resignation (    
,presid5t ,b5 ,ali f ! (fice ( presid5t2
  7#b7 end$ 8 #bc-ye> rule2 &  7#c7     
fur!r galvaniz$ simil> p5t-up democratic
 dem&s ?r\gh\t ! ,arab _w2 ,:]eas       

,tunisia em]g$ f ! ,arab ,spr+ z "o ( ! 
mo/ hopeful & promis+ nasc5t democracies
 9 ! region1 includ+ ) an int]im        
gov]nm5t & an elect$ ,con/itu5t         
,assembly responsible = draft+ a new    
con/itution & fo/]+ o!r political re=ms2
 ,:]eas1 9 ,febru>y #bjaa1 ,s5ator ,john
 ,mc,cain urg$ ,unit$ ,/ates support =  
,tunisia's democratic transition1 not+  
,! revolution 9 ,tunisia has be5 v      
successful & x has become a model = !   
region42 ,:]eas1 9 ,m>* #bjaa1 ,unit$   
,nations ,secret>y ,g5]al ,ban ,ki-moon 
pl$g$ full support = ,tunisia's         
transition to democracy1 hail+ !        
c\ntry's revolution z ! sp>k t lit !    
pr(\nd & dramatic *anges sweep+ ! ,arab 
_w2 ,:]eas1 on ,janu>y #bf1 #bjad1 !    
,con/itu5t ,assembly ( ,tunisia adopt$ a
 new con/itution demon/rat+ cons5sus =  
build+ a democracy f\nd$ on fre$om &    
equality2 ,:]eas ?is new ,con/itution ( 
,tunisia includ$ ,articles t--  7#a7    
gave equal rights to m5 & wom52  7#b7   
protect$ fre$oms ( assembly1 consci5ce1 

peaceful demon/ration1 expression1 &    
publication2 &  7#c7 outl9$ an electoral
 sy/em & repres5tation = ! ,tunisian p )
 *ecks & balances2 ,:]eas1 9 ,novemb]   
#bjad1 ,tunisia held its fir/ free &    
fair presid5tial election s9ce its      
indep5d5ce 9 #aief1 ) #bg c&idates op5ly
 compet+ = ! (fice ( presid5t2 ,:]eas   
longtime politician ,beji ,caid ,essebsi
 won ! election 9 a run(f ) #ee p]c5t ( 
! vote1 becom+ ,tunisia's fir/ presid5t 
to be legitimately elect$ bas$ on       
univ]sal suffrage s9ce indep5d5ce2      
,:]eas ,presid5t ,essebsi & ! elect$    
p>liam5t fac$ _m difficult *all5ges1    
includ+ economic turmoil1 t]rori/       
attacks1 & public expectations = *ange2 
,:]eas public disillusionm5t ) !        
c\ntry's political elites increas$ amid 
cont9u$ corruption1 wors5+ economic     
conditions1 & deva/at+ acts ( t]rorism t
 sev]ely hurt ! t\rism indu/ry & l>g]   
economy2 ,:]eas political outsid] &     
con/itutional law pr(essor ,kais ,sai$  
won ! presid5tial run-(f election held  

on ,octob] #ac1 #bjai1 & 0 sworn into   
(fice #aj days lat] 9 a peaceful transf]
 ( p[]2 ,:]eas1 by #bjba1 prote/s 9     
response to police brutality & wors5+   
economic conditions1 fur!r exac]bat$ by 
! ,,covid-#ai p&emic & relat$           
re/rictions1 occurr$ across cities 9    
,tunisia1 to :i* ! police respond$      
viol5tly2 ,:]eas1 9 ,july #bjba1        
,presid5t ,sai$ capitaliz$ on unre/ to  
seize p[] by unilat]ally--  7#a7        
dismiss+ ,prime ,m9i/] ,hi*em ,me*i*i & 
8 cab9et2  7#b7 susp5d+ ,p>liam5t = #cj 
days2 &  7#c7 ass]t+ sweep+ executive   
au?ority ov] policymak+ & ! judici>y )\t
 fir/ consult+ ! gov]nm5t2 ,:]eas1 on   
,july #bf1 #bjba1 ,tunisian security    
ag5ts ent]$ ! headqu>t]s 9 ,tunis ( !   
indep5d5t news organization al-,jaze]a1 
& ord]$ /aff to vacate ! premises2      
,:]eas1 z ( ,novemb] #bjbb1 al-,jaze]a's
 (fices rema9$ clos$ & its j\rnalism    
lic5ses h n be5 r5ew$2 ,:]eas1 on       
,septemb] #bb1 #bjba1 ,presid5t ,sai$   
susp5d$ mo/ provisions ( ! #bjad        

,con/itution & ass]t$ ! "r to rule by   
decree1 )\t judicial review or o!r *ecks
 & balances2 ,:]eas1 on ,m>* #cj1 #bjbb1
 ,presid5t ,sai$ dissolv$ ,p>liam5t2    
,:]eas1 by e>ly #bjbb1 ,presid5t ,sai$  
cont9u$ to und]m9e ,tunisia's democratic
 in/itutions1 includ+ by %utt+ !        
,national ,anti-,corruption ,au?ority1  
ass]t+ control ov] memb]%ip ( !         
,indep5d5t ,high ,au?ority = ,elections1
 & dissolv+ ! ,supreme ,judicial        
,c\ncil2 ,:]eas1 on ,febru>y #bd1 #bjbb1
 ,presid5t ,sai$ ann\nc$ he int5d$ to   
issue a decree re/rict+ civil society   
organizations includ+ a prohibition on  
=eign fund+1 /at+ nongov]nm5tal         
organizations mu/ be prev5t$ f access+  
ext]nal funds ''' & we w d t2 ,:]eas1 on
 ,m>* #bj1 #bjbb1 ,presid5t ,sai$ issu$ 
,decree ,law #ad crim9aliz+ ! delib]ate 
spread ( false or incorrect news t c\ld 
cause economic h>m = :i* conviction is  
puni%able by a prison s5t5ce ( #aj ye>s 
to life2 ,:]eas1 on ,june #a1 #bjbb1    
,presid5t ,sai$ unilat]ally dismiss$ #eg

 judges1 includ+ ! =m] presid5t ( !     
,supreme ,judicial ,c\ncil2 ,:]eas1 9   
,july #bjbb1 ,presid5t ,sai$ put to a   
ref]5dum a new draft con/itution1 :i*-- 
7#a7 consolidat$ executive p[] "u !     
presid5cy2  7#b7 limit$ p>liam5t>y      
au?ority2 &  7#c7 dim9i%$ judicial      
indep5d5ce2 ,:]eas ! new draft          
con/itution 0 approv$ despite           
hi/orically l[ vot] turn\t & heavy      
dome/ic & int]national criticism        
surr\nd+ ! lack ( g5u9e debate or input 
?r\gh\t ! draft+ process2 ,:]eas1 on    
,septemb] #af1 #bjbb1 ,presid5t ,sai$   
issu$ ,decree ,law #ed :i* crim9alizes !
 use ( in=mation sy/ems to publi% or    
circulate false in=mation t infr+es on !
 rights ( o!rs or jeop>dizes public     
safety or national def5se or spreads    
t]ror among ! population1 or ) ! aim (  
defam+ o!rs1 t>ni%+ _! reputations1 or  
caus+ !m f9ancial & moral h>m2 ,:]eas1 z
 ( ,novemb] #bjbb1 ! gov]nm5t _h op5$ at
 lea/ #e crim9al inve/igations "u       
,decree ,law #ed = conduct compris+ !   

ex]cise ( fre$om ( expression2 ,:]eas1  
on ,septemb] #ae1 #bjbb1 ,presid5t ,sai$
 releas$ a new election law t increases 
8 control ov] ! electoral process &     
weak5s ! role ( political p>ties 9      
,tunisia's political sy/em2 ,:]eas1 on  
,m>* #i1 #bjbc1 ,presid5t ,sai$ ann\nc$ 
plans to dissolve municipal c\ncils ^:  
election 9 #bjah _h symboliz$ a fir/ /ep
 t[>d mu*-ne$$ political                
dec5tralization2 ,:]eas1 betwe5 #bjba to
 #bjbc1 ,tunisia exp]i5c$-- 7#a7 a      
dramatic drop 9 vot] p>ticipation &     
public confid5ce 9 ! political process2 
&  7#b7 an escalation 9 politically     
motivat$ arre/s ( political oppon5ts1   
judges1 lawy]s1 j\rnali/s1 bus9ess      
lead]s1 & o!r critics2 & ,:]eas         
,presid5t ,sai$'s actions h dramatically
 und]m9$ ,tunisia's nasc5t democracy1   
co-opt$ & weak5$ its democratic         
in/itutions1 & h ?reat5$ to return !    
c\ntry to au?orit>ianism3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be
 x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 
recognizes ,tunisia z ! symbolic        

bir?place ( ! hi/oric ,arab ,spr+       
movem5t & ! c\ntry's notable democratic 
re=ms t em]g$ dur+ ! ,arab ,spr+ p]iod2 
7#b7 comm5ds ! ,tunisian p = _! c\rage &
 democratic a*ievem5ts made 9 ! imm$iate
 ye>s foll[+ ! ,arab ,spr+2  7#c7       
condemns actions tak5 by ,presid5t ,sai$
 to und]m9e ^! democratic a*ievem5ts &  
expresses deep conc]n = ! rec5t rev]sals
 ( su* democratic ga9s1 includ+--  7,a7 
! erosion ( judicial indep5d5ce2  7,b7  
political repression & arre/s2 &  7,c7 !
 undemocratic consolidation ( p[] 9 !   
h&s ( ! presid5t2  7#d7 urges !         
,gov]nm5t ( ,tunisia--  7,a7 to release 
all political prison]s2  7,b7 to respect
 ! rights ( ! p to free ex]cise (       
peaceful assembly1 expression1 & ! press
 & to hold acc\ntable individuals       
responsible = political repression & o!r
 human rights abuses s9ce ,july #be1    
#bjba2 &  7,c7 to protect ! "r (        
association & to ensure civil society is
 able to op]ate )\t gov]nm5t int]f]5ce2 
&  7#e7 calls on ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,tunisia 

to support transp>5t & op5 presid5tial1 
p>liam5t>y1 & municipal election        
processes1 includ+ ) reg>d to !         
presid5tial election s*$ul$ = #bjbd4