The Raqqa Diaries began as a series of short broadcasts on Radio 4s 'Today' Programme. Now one of the most isolated and fear ridden cities on earth, no-one is allowed to speak to western journalists or leave Raqqa, without ISs permission. Those caught breaking the rules face death by beheading.
Despite this, Mike Thomson, with the help of BBCs Arabic Service, found a young man who is willing to risk his life to tell the world what is happening in his city. Part of a small anti-IS activist group, the diaries were written, encrypted and sent to a third country before being translated.
The diarists father is killed and mother badly injured during an air strike, he is sentenced to 40 lashes for speaking out against a beheading, he sees a woman stoned to death. They show how every aspect of life is impacted from the spiralling costs of food to dictating the acceptable length of trousers.
At one point, the sale of televisions is banned. As Samer says, 'it seems its not enough to stop us talking to the outside world, now we cant even look at it. Having seen friends and relatives butchered, his communitys life shattered and the local economy ruined by these hate-fuelled extremists, Samer believes hes fighting back by telling the world what is happening to his beloved city.
Raw, direct and profoundly affecting, The Raqqa Diaries is an important book by a brave young man, which allows unprecedented access to the brutal conditions that many Syrians are living under.

Āl Saʻūd, ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz ibn Saʻūd ibn Muḥammad ibn ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz, author; Thomson, Mike, editor; Coello, Scott, illustrator; Banī Naṣr, Nādir Ibrāhīm, translator

ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz ibn Saʻūd ibn Muḥammad ibn ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz Āl Saʻūd

Mohammed, Samer

London: Hutchinson

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

London, copyright © 2017

PS, 2017

Since Isis Occupied Raqqa In Eastern Syria, It Has Become One Of The Most Isolated And Fear-ridden Cities On Earth. The Sale Of Televisions Has Been Banned, Wearing Trousers The Wrong Length Is A Punishable Offence, And Using A Mobile Phone Is Considered An Unforgivable Crime. No Journalists Are Allowed In And The Penalty For Speaking To The Western Media Is Death By Beheading. Despite This, After Several Months Of Nervy And Often Interrupted Conversations, The Bbc Was Able To Make Contact With A Small Activist Group, Al-sharqiya 24. Finally, Courageously, One Of Their Members Agreed To Write A Personal Diary About His Experiences. Having Seen Friends And Relatives Butchered, His Community's Life Shattered And The Local Economy Ruined By These Hate-fuelled Extremists, Samer Is Fighting Back In The Only Way He Can: By Telling The World What Is Happening To His Beloved City. This Is Samer's Story. By Samer ; Edited By Mike Thomson ; Illustrations By Scott Coelho ; Translation By Nader Ibrahim ; Co-edited By John Neal.

106 pages : 21 cm
Since ISIS occupied Raqqa in eastern Syria, it has become one of the most isolated and fear-ridden cities on earth. The sale of televisions has been banned, wearing trousers the wrong length is a punishable offence, and using a mobile phone is considered an unforgivable crime. No journalists are allowed in and the penalty for speaking to the western media is death by beheading. Despite this, after several months of nervy and often interrupted conversations, the BBC was able to make contact with a small activist group, Al-Sharqiya 24. Finally, courageously, one of their members agreed to write a personal diary about his experiences. Having seen friends and relatives butchered, his community's life shattered and the local economy ruined by these hate-fuelled extremists, Samer is fighting back in the only way he can: by telling the world what is happening to his beloved city. This is Samer's story

Since ISIS occupied Raqqa in eastern Syria, it has become one of the most isolated and fear-ridden cities on earth. BBC was able to make contact with a small activist group, Al-Sharqiya 24, and one of their members agreed to write a personal diary about his experiences. This book tells his story.

2023-06-28