The Fragmentation of Human Rights. Case Studies from a Post-Arab Spring Context

Abstract

The Middle East and North Africa region is diverse and large, and it is therefore difficult to make broad arguments and generalizations on the impact of the Arab Spring on human rights protection. In this context, Egypt and Tunisia are important case studies for the assessment of constitutional transitions and human rights protection in a post-Arab Spring context. After the 2011 uprisings and the fall of the ruling authoritarian regimes, activists, scholars, and civil society organizations raised hopes about improvements in the protection of human rights. However, many forces (security services, the military, religious actors) worked against the hopes of the Revolution. The counter-reaction did not happen only because of national political struggles. Institutional factors also played against structural improvements in human rights promotion and protection. Changes in human rights practices need stable institutional frameworks which facilitate the improvement of human rights practices and constitutional transitions. Tommaso Virgili, with his contribution, focuses on the protection of sexual minorities and freethinkers.