Democracy is sustained not by ballots alone but by the principles of liberty, accountability, and respect for human dignity. Yet in many parts of the world, these foundations are under assault. Citizens are met with brutality for speaking their minds, opposition voices are stifled, and the basic rights that safeguard humanity are disregarded.

Such repression hollows out democratic institutions, leaving them as empty symbols rather than genuine channels of representation. When dissent is criminalized and dialogue replaced with intimidation, trust in governance erodes. Without space for free expression and civic participation, power becomes unchecked, corruption flourishes, and fear takes the place of freedom.

A functioning democracy demands more than periodic elections; it requires protection of civil liberties, tolerance of diverse views, and a commitment to justice. Where these are absent, democracy cannot thrive it merely exists as an illusion cloaked in the language of freedom.