Silence in class

A MONTH after Tunisians tossed out their hated dictator, Egyptians did the same, forcing Hosni Mubarak to step down. But while Tunisians are choosing a new parliament to complete their transition to democracy, Egyptians have been heading back to school. And not only physically—state universities have reopened—but also metaphorically: unhampered by any parliament, the government of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has been posting a series of restrictive laws. Should they all be imposed, Egypt may feel rather like a military academy.

One example is state universities, where the authorities want to quash the anti-government protests that disrupted studies last year. The more than one million students returning to campuses faced lengthy queues and body searches just to get inside. After some responded angrily, police moved in with tear gas and shotguns; one student has died. Political activity of any kind is now, in effect, banned. Students who object may be dismissed. Faculty members may be fired for “inciting” protests. University staff had won the right to elect university presidents and deans after the 2011 revolution. Now Mr Sisi appoints people to those posts.