While the event hosting these speakers —  “Profiles in Courage: Human Rights Defenders in the Struggle to End Violence Against Women” — took place in New York City early last month, the testimony tells of atmospheres in which women live (meaning in which everyone lives) in several of our world’s muddied and persistently dimmed quarters.

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Note: On March 10, 2011, Kouki was arrested for distributing pro-democracy flyers and was jailed for 40 days. She was arrested for participating in pro-democracy demonstrations on August 13, 2011, and again on September 11, 2011, when she was imprisoned for an additional week. After realizing that she was wanted by Syrian intelligence forces, Kouki left Syria on December 23, 2011.

Kouki relocated to Cairo following a long trip that lead her through Turkey, France, and Tunisia. While residing in Egypt, Hadeel was beaten and threatened in her apartment on February 22, 2012, by Bashar Assad’s Shabiha.

Hadeel fled Syria on March 11, 2012, to testify at the United Nations, providing the details of her experience in Syria and briefing the UN on the current situation for Syrians today. Hadeel continues to advocate on behalf of the Syrian people.

http://cyberdissidents.org/bin/dissidents.cgi?id=181&c=SY

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YouTube Channel Source: Human Rights UN.