The Facts
A day after arresting cartoonist Tawfiq Omrane, who is well-known for mocking Tunisian Pres. Kais Saied, Tunisia's public prosecutor announced that the satirist was released after hours of questioning related to drawings mocking the prime minister.
Omrane told a Tunisian radio station that "they interrogated me on suspicion of insulting the prime minister. They showed a drawing that they considered offensive."
The Spin
Narrative A
Though Saied said that he doesn't want to become an autocrat, his unscrupulous actions speak far louder. Using the growing pains of Tunisia's young democracy as a pretext, he has taken over the North African nation and is cracking down on dissent to guarantee his control over civil society. A national dialogue must be undertaken to save Tunisian democracy and align it with the norms of the international community.
Narrative B
Tunisians are tired of the corruption and dysfunction brought by the country's so-called "post-Arab Spring parties." The country was on the brink of collapse before Saied dissolved parliament, and his actions were and continue to be necessary to maintain order and stability.
