Tharwa Founder Testifies Before Congressional Human Rights Caucus

September 2008

On September 24, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus hosted an event entitled “Syrian Human Rights Policies in Syria and Toward Lebanese”. The event, moderated by Congressional Human Rights Caucus Executive Director Hans Hogrefe, featured testimony from Ali Abou Dehn, a Lebanese political detainee, Kamal El Batal, the Director of Human Rights for the World Council of the Cedars Revolution and Ammar Abdulhamid, Executive Director of the Tharwa Foundation. Continue reading “Tharwa Founder Testifies Before Congressional Human Rights Caucus” →

Syria in Transition

On April 25, a day after my congressional testimony before the Near East and South Asia Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Tharwa Foundation took part in organizing another Hill event, this time focusing on Damascus Declaration and its potential role in leading the transition to democratic rule in Syria. In addition to speeches by representatives of the Damascus Declaration abroad and yours truly, a host of American officials and experts also took part in the event, among them: Ambassador Theodor Kattouf, and Congressional adviser Alan Makovsky. Below are some photos from the event. Continue reading “Syria in Transition” →

THE STATE OF SYRIA UNDER THE ASSADS & PROSPECTS FOR CHANGE

On April 24, 2008, I became the first Syrian citizen to deliver a testimony in the U.S. Congress. My co-panelists included my colleagues from the Brookings Institution: Martin Indyk and Peter Rodman. In the testimony I try to set the record straight on the deteriorating internal situation in Syria focusing on Assad’s weakening grip and signs of growing popular discontent. The text of the testimony can be found below, and also on the House Foreign Affairs Committee website. Continue reading “THE STATE OF SYRIA UNDER THE ASSADS & PROSPECTS FOR CHANGE” →

Neither Sleet Nor Snow

New York City greeted our planned Sit-In calling for the release of prisoners of conscience in Syria and which took place in front of UN headquarters with severe cold and much snow. But that did not deter us. Khawla, Mouhanad and I spent the whole day, but then we had to get back to Washington. Others braved it for 2-days.

sit-in7 — I can be recognized by my ponytail

A brief interview (Arabic only)