The two main cities, Damascus and Aleppo have not embraced the protests. Why?

First, this is where the social classes that have benefited most from the regime are concentrated. But if they see that their interests are threatened, the merchant bourgeoisie will also eventually take a stand against Al-Assad. The country is experiencing a very serious economic crisis. The second reason is that all public places are occupied by security forces to prevent any gathering. Power is obsessed with these two cities. There are small daily demonstrations in the capital, but they are nipped in the bud.

“By appointing a new minister of defense of Christian faith – the General Rajah Daoud – the regime wants to involve Christians in the fight to make the military command responsible for what will later be described as the massacre of Sunnis …” “But after these tragic developments, our people are perfectly able to avoid the chaos and especially the inter-sectarian war that is anticipated. All communities are engaged in this struggle for the liberation of Syria, and a sectarian civil war is impossible”

Liberation publishes Yazbek’s testimony on Syrian jails, featured earlier in The Guardian. As an introduction, journalist Ayad explains the context of the event.

Two huge men entered the room. They stood in readiness, in plainclothes. One of them stood to the right and the other to the left. With a signal from his eyes, each seized me by the shoulders, though not roughly. They seized me as if I were some object, easy for them to move. I did not resist when they started to lift me out of my chair.

The Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize was launched in 2010 as part of Harvill Secker’s centenary celebrations. It is an annual prize, which focuses on a different language each year, with the aim of recognising the achievements of young translators at the start of their careers. This year’s chosen language is Arabic.

2012 is the 6th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award.
The call for applications is now open, and the deadline is September 1st 2011.