Karam al-Hamad
Karam al-Hamad | |
|---|---|
كرم الحمد | |
 | |
| Born | 1990 (age 34–35) |
| Nationality | Syrian |
| Alma mater | Bard College Berlin |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist and human rights activist |
Karam al-Hamad (Arabic: كرم الحمد; born 1990) is a Syrian journalist and human rights activist, and former political detainee. Al-Hamad is also known for his efforts to cover the Syrian uprising, including being jailed four times between 2011 and 2014.
Early life and education
[edit]Al-Hamad was born in Deir ez-Zor, Syria in 1990.[1][2] As a child, he was awarded a camera and Internet access for his success in school by the First Lady of Syria, Asma al-Assad.[1]
Al-Hamad studied petroleum engineering at Al-Furat University, but was unable to finish his degree due to his multiple arrests.[1] In 2015, he participated in the Leaders of Democracy Fellowship at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.[1][3] Al-Hamad interned at Amnesty International as part of the fellowship.[4] He eventually graduated with a degree in economics, Politics, and Social Thought from Bard College Berlin in 2020.[5][6] He is scheduled to begin attending Yale University on a scholarship in 2021, studying for an MPP in Global Affairs.[7]
Political activism
[edit]During his first year at Al-Furat University, al-Hamad published a magazine on campus containing hidden messages speaking out against the Assad regime.[1] Al-Hamad was arrested for the first time in July 2011 for participating in anti-regime demonstrations.[1][8] He was arrested a second time and jailed for 70 days after he was accused of leading demonstrations.[1]
By 2013, al-Hamad was also running Deir ez-Zor's media center, an activist organization that helped document the events of the Syrian civil war.[3]
Between his third and fourth arrests, al-Hamad befriended American aid worker Peter Kassig, who was later killed by ISIS.[1][9]
After organizing protests in Deir ez-Zor, al-Hamad was arrested for the fourth time in 2013. He was accused of spying, detained, and tortured in the Far' Falastin prison after a coerced confession.[10] He was released in July 2014, after which he left the country, seeking refuge in Turkey.[1][10]
Al-Hamad has served as a member of Deir ez-Zor's local council.[2]
In 2015, al-Hamad was nominated for membership in the Youth Advisory Board for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, or UN-Habitat.[11]
Career
[edit]Al-Hamad's involvement in journalism began when he was still living in Syria. Before the protests, he had worked for the main newspaper in Deir ez-Zor.[4] During the protests, al-Hamad worked with Reuters to publish photos of political demonstrations and the effects of the Assad regime's actions.[1]
After his experiences under the Assad regime, al-Hamad began writing articles about the situation in Syria for outlets such as Foreign Affairs,[12] The Washington Post,[13] The Huffington Post,[14] The New Humanitarian,[15] and Al Bawaba.[16] His articles have also been published in scholarly journals such as the Yale Journal of International Affairs[17] and International Studies Quarterly.[18] Al-Hamad has also been quoted as an eyewitness to the Syrian uprising in news outlets such as Al Arabiya[19] and the Associated Press.[20]
Al-Hamad has also worked as a lead researcher on Eastern Syria, and his research projects have been supported by organizations such as USAID and Harvard University.[21] He has worked with officials in the U.S. Embassy as a research coordinator for Eastern Syria-related topics.[22][23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Syrian refugee comes to US to take part in Syracuse University fellowship". The Daily Orange. 2015-04-08. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ a b "كرم الحمد من معتقلات الأسد إلى المجلس الاستشاري الشبابي للأمم المتحدة". www.zamanalwsl.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ a b "After a year of torture in Syrian jail, an activist finally makes it to the US". The World from PRX. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ a b Relations, Bard Public. "Syrian Students at Bard College Berlin: A Humanistic Imperative". www.bard.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ Al-Fanar Media
- ^ Bardian - Spring 2018 by Bard College Bardian - Issuu
- ^ Activist Mazen al-Hamada, tortured by Assad regime, disappears after returning to Syria - Washington Post
- ^ كرم الحمد.. من معتقلات النظام إلى الأمم المتحدة
- ^ "Young Syrian Lenses: Photo Exhibition and Community Event - Event - Arab America". Archived from the original on 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
- ^ a b Sly, Liz (2016-03-12). "How the Syrian revolt went so horribly, tragically wrong". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ "كرم الحمد المرشح لمجلس أممي لـ(أورينت نت):قادرون على إيجاد البديل". أورينت نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ "Karam Alhamad". Foreign Affairs. 2017-10-27. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ In two charts, this is what refugees say about why they are leaving Syria now - The Washington Post
- ^ "Karam Alhamad | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ The New Humanitarian
- ^ "Opinion: Fear of a Deadlier Successor to ISIS in Deir Ezzor". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ The Coming Catastrophe in Syria’s Prisons — Yale Journal of International Affairs
- ^ Rebel Group Attrition and Reversion to Violence: Micro-Level Evidence from Syria | International Studies Quarterly | Oxford Academic
- ^ "Men fleeing E Aleppo forced to fight with Assad". Al Arabiya English. 2016-12-12. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ In besieged Syrian city, hungry residents sell gold for food - Miami Herald
- ^ Karam Alhamad | OEB
- ^ "Mr Karam Alhamad: The Man Who Worked for Cause Not for Applause". ca.finance.yahoo.com. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- ^ "Flourishive - Entrepreneurial Stories". flourishive.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
