Fears that Egypt is sliding into Islamist autocracy are deepening as the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated government continues to crack down on critics. In just the last 24 hours, reports have emerged that Cairo has opened treason investigations against opponents of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-linked President Mohammed Morsi, and that civil servants have been ordered not to criticize the president. Egypt’s uneven democratic transition is likely to have economic consequences and to undermine Morsi’s efforts to pivot to economic stabilization, a focus the president announced in the aftermath of a referendum that saw Egyptian voters approve a new constitution emphasizing Islamic law. Germany has already linked debt relief and economic aid to Egyptian progress on institutionalizing civil liberties, and at least some other Western countries can be expected to follow.

[Photo: VOA / Wiki Commons]