Birthplace of Arab Spring, deathbed of academic freedom?

The article reports on the trial of Habib Kazdaghli, dean of Maniuba University's Faculty of Letters, Arts and Humanities in Tunisia, and its implications of the future of higher education in the country. He was accused by a female student of assault which was altered to violence perpetrated by a civil servant in the course of his duties. Kazdaghli claims that his trial was an attempt to undermine the Tunisian university system.