I am a journalist and political activist from Syria with more than 15 years of experience in writing and conducting research on politics, governance, Islamic groups, human rights, culture, and arts for major news media in the Middle East and North Africa. Whether it is in the actual war zone or among the refugees crossing borders for safety, my writing has always focused on telling the truth, which has often brought me into a face-to-face confrontation with those opposing freedom of expression and the press in the Middle East.