Yeah totally should do that in an autocratic country, lets go with Russia and lets see how long it would take before the original poster is on their way to a Siberian gulag
That's the "in Africa kids are starving and you're refusing to eat your broccoli" level of argument. Yes, it's bad in Russia, but that doesn't mean everything is perfect in their country. And that doesn't mean they shouldn't strive to make the situation better. Moreover, without any push back it can only get worse.
If that is the bar we have to pass humanity isn't doing too well now is it? I myself would like to hold a modern country to even a little bit higher standards.
While I do see your point, I think the main idea behind this post is that we're told that we live in civilized free western world, but once we rebel, speak ill or become in any way a 'threat' to people on top (while staying within the rules of society of course), that's when you get punished for it.
Something I'll give to autocratic countries is that even though you have no freedom, at least you're fully aware of it. In western countries, you have some freedom but are led to believe you actually have more, if not full, freedom.
Except only the last point really has anything to do with the government. It's freedom from government control, not freedom to do anything you want with no consequences.