ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on three themes that highlight the tension between liberal and illiberal conceptions of rights and the public sphere, women's rights, freedom of expression and factionalism, and three countries: Tunisia, Egypt and Syria. It discusses how the Tunisian Islamist Ennahda party delineated freedom of expression. The chapter also focuses on the constitutional articles, policies and actions of Islamists. It posits that the Arab Spring movement has shown that international principles of human rights, citizenship, equality, justice and democracy are the frame of reference in the Arab region. For mainstream Egyptian Islamists, challenging past silences and lies as well as establishing a culture that respects human rights and individual freedoms do not appear to include women. Indeed, many Syrian observers, European security officers, as well as Syrian citizens in general are afraid that some Free Syrian Army (FSA) members are not only religiously radicalizing but also turning to political Islam.
