Authoritarian Resurgence and the Erosion of Civil Liberties in the Name of Security

• In Event: Roundtable: Democratic Regression in Security Governance in Developing Countries

Abstract

In recent years, a resurgence of authoritarian governance has emerged across several developing countries, justified by heightened security concerns. This paper explores how state actors instrumentalize fear—especially around terrorism and crime—to restrict civil liberties and silence dissent. Through comparative case studies, it investigates how emergency laws, counterterrorism policies, and policing reforms have been used not to enhance security, but to expand executive power and dismantle democratic checks and balances. Drawing on examples from the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, the study reveals a pattern in which security governance becomes a vehicle for illiberal consolidation. It also examines the implications for marginalized communities who often bear the brunt of surveillance and coercive policing. The paper argues that without institutional safeguards and public accountability, security governance can transform into a tool for democratic regression. It concludes with recommendations for integrating human rights norms and participatory oversight mechanisms into security policies.

Author

• Tuncay Unal, Independent Researcher