Samar Yazbek

Samar Yazbek was born in Syria in 1970 and studied Arabic literature. She worked as a television reporter and journalist and published novels and short stories. Her journalism addressed civil rights and women’s rights. After the Syrian protest movement began in 2011, she documented the experiences of demonstrators, former prisoners, and members of the police and military. She was persecuted for her political activities and fled Syria with her daughter. In 2012, she received the PEN Pinter Prize for her literary engagement. Her works published in German include *A Woman in the Crossfire* (*Schrei nach Freiheit*).