,,iii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #caj  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #bf 7legislative
 day1 ,june #bd71 #bjbe ,mr4 ,durb9 7=  
himself1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4
 ,wel*1 & ,mr4 ,s*iff7 submitt$ ! foll[+
 resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,=eign ,relations         
,,resolution  ,recogniz+ ,tunisia's     
lead]%ip 9 ! ,arab ,spr+ & express+     
support = uphold+ its democratic        
pr9ciples & norms4  ,:]eas ,tunisia ga9$
 its indep5d5ce f ,france on ,m>* #bj1  
#aief1 ) ,habib ,b\rguiba s]v+ z ,prime 
,m9i/]1 be=e becom+ ,tunisia's fir/     
,presid5t 9 #aieg2  ,:]eas ,presid5t    
,b\rguiba l$ ,tunisia ?r\gh indep5d5ce &
 ! ensu+ #cj ye>s1 a p]iod t includ$ va/
 social re=ms & re/rictions on civil    
society & democratic p>ticipation2      
,:]eas1 9 #aihg1 ,prime ,m9i/] ,z9e ,el 
,abd9e ,b5 ,ali depos$ ,presid5t        
,b\rguiba & nam$ himself ,presid5t (    
,tunisia1 cit+ ,b\rguiba's incompet5ce &
 fail+ heal? to ju/ify 8 undemocratic   

actions2  ,:]eas ,presid5t ,b5 ,ali 0   
subsequ5tly elect$ 9 #aihi & #aiid )\t  
g5u9e opposition1 & 0 re-elect$ 9 #aiii1
 #bjjd1 & #bjji by implausibly high vote
 m>g9s 9 election processes t 7 widely  
deem$ z nei!r free nor fair2  ,:]eas    
,presid5t ,b5 ,ali's rule 0 m>r$ by     
gross human rights violations & a lack (
 democratic fre$oms2  ,:]eas ! #bjjc    
,c\ntry ,reports on ,human ,rights      
,practices1 releas$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (    
,/ate on ,febru>y #be1 #bjjd1 /at$1     
ref]r+ to ,tunisia--  7#a7 ,elections   
are regul>ly *>act]iz$ by notable       
irregul>ities1 includ+ vot]             
intimidation1 & !re is no secret        
ballot42  7#b7 ,security =ces physically
 abus$1 intimidat$1 & h>ass$ citiz5s :o 
voic$ public criticism ( ! ,gov]nm5t42  
7#c7 ,! ,gov]nm5t cont9u$ to impose     
significant re/rictions on fre$om (     
spee* & ! press42 &  7#d7 ,! ,gov]nm5t  
rema9$ intol]ant ( public criticism &   
us$ physical abuse1 crim9al             
inve/igations1 ! c\rt sy/em1 arbitr>y   

arre/s1 resid5tial re/rictions1 & travel
 controls 7includ+ d5ial ( passports7 to
 disc\rage criticism by human rights &  
opposition activi/s42  ,:]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 corruption1 repression1 &  
economic failure--  7#a7 =c$ !          
resignation ( ,presid5t ,b5 ,ali f !    
(fice ( ,presid5t2  7#b7 end$ 8 #bc-ye> 
rule2 &  7#c7 fur!r inspir$ simil> p5t  
up democratic dem&s ?r\gh\t ! ,arab _w2 
,:]eas ,tunisia em]g$ f ! ,arab ,spr+ z 
"o ( ! mo/ hopeful & promis+ re=m$      
democracies 9 ! region1 includ+ ) an    
int]im gov]nm5t & a ,con/itu5t ,assembly
 responsible = draft+ a new con/itution 
& fo/]+ political compromise = a future 
democratic gov]nm5t2  ,:]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$om &    
equality2  ,:]eas ! new con/itution (   
,tunisia includes ,articles t-- 7#a7    
give equal rights to m5 & wom52  7#b7   
protection fre$oms ( assembly1 peaceful 
demon/ration1 expression1 & publication2
 &  7#c7 outl9e an electoral sy/em &    
repres5tation = ! ,tunisian p ) *ecks & 
balances2  ,:]eas1 9 ,novemb] #bjad1    
,tunisia held its fir/ g5u9ely free &   
fair presid5tial election s9ce its      
indep5d5ce 9 #aief1 ) #bg c&idates      

freely compet+ = ! (fice ( presid5t2    
,:]eas longtime politician ,beji ,caid  
,essebsi won ! election 9 a run(f ) #ee 
p]c5t ( ! vote1 becom+ ,tunisia's fir/  
legitimately elect$ presid5t s9ce       
indep5d5ce2  ,:]eas ,presid5t ,essebsi  
fac$ _m difficult *all5ges1 includ+     
economic turmoil1 t]rori/ attacks1 &    
public expectations = *ange2  ,:]eas    
public disillusionm5t ) ! c\ntry's      
political elites increas$ amid cont9u$  
corruption & 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 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 wors5+ economic conditions1 
fur!r exac]bat$ by ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic1
 occurr$ across cities 9 ,tunisia1 to   
:i* ! police respond$ viol5tly2  ,:]eas1
 9 ,july #bjba1 ,presid5t ,sai$         
capitaliz$ on unre/ to unilat]ally seize

 p[] by--  7#a7 dismiss+ ,prime ,m9i/]  
,hi*em ,me*i*i2  7#b7 susp5d+ ,p>liam5t 
= #cj days2 &  7#c7 assum+ full         
executive au?ority )\t fir/ consult+ !  
gov]nm5t2  ,:]eas1 9 late #bjba1        
,presid5t ,sai$ indef9itely susp5d$     
,p>liam5t & transf]r$ all legislative   
p[]s to himself2  ,:]eas1 9 e>ly #bjbb1 
,presid5t ,sai$ cont9u$ to und]m9e      
,tunisia's democratic in/itutions1      
includ+ by tak+ control ( ! ,indep5d5t  
,high ,au?ority = ,elections & dissolv+ 
! ,high ,judicial ,c\ncil2  ,:]eas1 9   
,july #bjbb1 ,presid5t ,sai$ unilat]ally
 put to a ref]5dum a new draft          
con/itution1 :i*--  7#a7 consolidat$ p[]
 to ! presid5cy2  7#b7 limit$ p>liam5t>y
 au?ority2 &  7#c7 dim9i%$ judicial     
indep5d5ce2 ,:]eas ! new draft          
con/itution 0 approv$ despite rem>kably 
l[ vot] turn\t & heavy dome/ic &        
int]national criticism surr\nd+ ! lack (
 g5u9e debate ?r\gh\t ! draft+ process2 
,:]eas1 betwe5 #bjba & #bjbd1 ,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]s 9 an ef=t to
 /ifle diss5t2  ,:]eas prior to         
,tunisia's presid5tial elections 9      
,octob] #bjbd1 ,presid5t ,sai$ reli$ on 
legal texts he introduc$ or draft$ to   
disqualify or jail ne>ly all ( 8        
political oppon5ts2  ,:]eas ,presid5t   
,sai$ won a second t]m on ,octob] #f1   
#bjbd1 w9n+ #ij4g p]c5t ( ! vote ) a    
#bh4h p]c5t vot] turn\t1 :i* 0 ! l[e/   
turn\t s9ce ! #bjaa revolution2  ,:]eas1
 9 ,april #bjbe1 ,tunisian au?orities   
h&$ d[n mass convictions to #dj         
individuals1 includ+ a ,unit$ ,/ates    
citiz51 :o 7 prim>ily human rights      
def5d]s1 lawy]s1 & prom95t political    
opposition figures1 foll[+ a politically
 motivat$ trial m>r$ ) a lack ( due     
process & proc$ural flaws2 &  ,:]eas    
,presid5t ,sai$'s au?orit>ian actions   
cont9ue to dramatically und]m9$ & ?reat5

 :at rema9s ( ,tunisia's nasc5t         
democratic in/itutions3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x
  ,t ! ,s5ate-- 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$iate ye>s foll[+ ! ,arab   
,spr+2  7#c7 expresses deep conc]n =    
dramatic rev]sals ( su* democratic ga9s1
 includ+--  7,a7 ! erosion ( judicial   
indep5d5ce2  7,b7 political repression &
 arre/s2 &  7,c7 ! undemocratic         
consolidation ( p[]2  7#d7 urges !      
,gov]nm5t ( ,tunisia-- 7,a7 to release  
all political prison]s2  7,b7 to respect
 ! rights ( ! p to free ex]cise (       
peaceful assembly1 expression1 & !      
press2 &  7,c7 to re/ore & respect !    
indep5d5ce ( electoral1 judicial1 &     
anti-corruption in/itutions2  7#e7      
supports ! ,tunisian p 9 _!             
con/itutionally protect$ "r to          
peacefully demon/rate2 &  7#f7 urges !  

,trump ,adm9i/ration to sanction ^?     
,tunisian (ficials :o h be5 prim>ily    
involv$ 9 repression ( peaceful         
democratic activities4