The political upheaval in Egypt is a valuable lesson for Indonesia. Using the excuse of saving the country from the threat of hardline Islamic groups, president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has silenced critics, shackled the opposition and limited freedom of expression. This has resulted in a protracted crisis.

In the last two weeks, the people of Egypt have flocked to the streets demonstrating to demand president al-Sisi step down. The government has r