Tag Archives: syria

Shout out for Syria

Posted on 6 September 2011 by Niklas Smith

Early in the morning of 24 August, a man was dragged out of his car by masked members of Syrian security services in Damascus. He was viciously beaten, mainly on his hands. His name is Ali Ferzat, and he is … Continue reading →

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US ambassador to Syria launches Facebook fightback

Posted on 12 July 2011 by Niklas Smith

A few days ago Syrian pro-government protesters attacked the US embassy in revenge for the US ambassador’s visit to Hama, a focal point of anti-regime protests. (And yesterday they attacked the US and French embassies, injuring three French embassy staff.) … Continue reading →

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On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a hoax

Posted on 14 June 2011 by Niklas Smith

So. Farewell then Amina Arraf. In some ways it’s a relief that you weren’t really a gay girl in Damascus, since it means you weren’t abducted by Assad’s thugs and subjected to the sort of unspeakable treatment that they specialise … Continue reading →

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When courage must overcome fear

Posted on 11 May 2011 by Niklas Smith

Life is not easy if you are the smallest child in the playground of a rough school. That is Lebanon’s situation: a small and poorly armed country between Israel and Syria, and with fraught relations with both. As someone who … Continue reading →

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