This is the third blog post in a series of stories brought by photographer Khalil. Over a decade ago, Khalil participated in a visiting artists’ program led by PPP Associate Artist Gary Stewart in partnership with the British Council. Since then, Khalil has shared powerful testimonies about his life as a Palestinian refugee in Syria.

On 8 December 2024, Ba’athist Syria, under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad, collapsed during a major offensive by opposition forces. Khalil took to the streets to celebrate, filled with hope for freedom. In this post, Khalil shares his friend’s account of women’s rights in Syria following Assad’s fall.

 

Syria, 3rd January 2025

By Natalie Ibrahim

The sight of the city drenched in rain today reminded me of an incident last winter. I was walking with a friend through one of the old neighbourhoods of Damascus, talking about our lives and the events that had shaped them. Suddenly, she burst into tears. As she spoke, fear gripped her, and she told me her story—a harrowing account involving one of the influential men from the Assad regime and the sexual blackmail she had endured. That day, her fear became mine, as I unconsciously carried a part of her anguish. I felt almost certain that there was no real salvation from this predator until he decided to move on to a new victim.

This incident was neither unique nor rare for women in Syria under the tyrannical Assad regime. Our lives during that bitter period were bound by fear, suffering, and a constant struggle for survival. Bashar al-Assad painted a picture for the outside world of a secular, open, and progressive Syria, one that supported women’s rights. But the reality was starkly different. Under his rule, women were left weak, afraid, and hungry—unable to voice their thoughts or channel their growing anger. The regime detained, disappeared, and blackmailed thousands of women, subjecting them to sexual, physical, and psychological violence, while simultaneously ensuring that the rest of us lived in a system designed to suppress us.

Corruption became embedded in every institution. Without connections to powerful figures, a woman could not protect herself or live in safety. My work on women’s issues exposed me to countless cases of violence and exploitation. Tragically, most stories of abuse and oppression went untold, and only the most horrific—those ending in murder—gained public attention. Even then, justice was rarely served. For example, Ayat al-Rifai was brutally murdered by her husband, a soldier in the Syrian army. He received a mere seven-year prison sentence. In other cases, killers walked free, as the law excused such crimes under the guise of marital infidelity or honour, despite the supposed abolition of these archaic laws. Manipulation of legal systems ensured that women’s rights were never truly upheld.

(Photos: Left- Yes to the new Syria with everyone’s help. Right – Yes to constructive criticism.)

Women faced unsafe workspaces and exclusion from political life, while economic and climatic conditions worsened. Low-paying jobs were often the only option for many, making a decent life unattainable. Adding to this burden, women had to pay exorbitant bribes to officials to learn the fate of their detained loved ones. This constant cycle of exploitation and oppression seemed endless.

Today, with the fall of the tyrannical Assad regime and his escape along with his entourage of criminals, rapists, and exploiters, we women can finally breathe a little easier. While fear still lingers, amplified by the chaos of this transitional period, the liberation of detained women has restored our hope. It has made us stronger and more daring, encouraging us to share our stories and demand a safe life where women are neither treated as weak nor deprived of their right to choose their own paths.

Whoever governs us tomorrow, we will raise our voices against tyranny. We will demand a world that offers safety and dignity to women, a world that respects our presence and participation in all areas of life.

Natalie Ibrahim lives in Syria and is interested in women’s issues and raising awareness to obtain their rights. Through writing in the feminist field, she works to shed light on the miserable reality of women in our Arab societies, and the control of patriarchal male thinking over the course of women’s lives, exposing them to oppression, marginalization and exploitation.

Disclaimer: People’s Palace Projects (PPP) has not fact-checked the content of this blog. The views expressed here are solely those of the artist who has worked with us in the past and maintained regular contact over the last 12 years of the war. Only now PPP feel it is safe to share their personal account publicly.

PPP welcomes photos and stories from other artists who have been involved in or impacted by the conflict. We value diverse perspectives and invite contributions to help document and reflect on this critical moment in history.