The surveillance/transparency has to be on both side.
Government can't just do whatever they want if they also being surveilled.
No? Because it seems to me if you're the one with power, you have a lot less to fear from surveillance, than if you're without. Say there's only one political party allowed (officially or unofficially) - that means it is free to organize and act as a political party, while if you were to try and start your own, you'd be jailed.
So where does their power come from ?
Information advantage ? No, if both side has the same information
Strength in number? there are more citizen then the government people.
>Assuming many people even learn about your arrest -
Thats why I argue for citizen to surveil the government too to level the playing field.