Chloe Hadjimatheou
speaker
3,299 appearances
16 recordings
2 series
first heard Feb 2025
last heard 27 Aug
Chloe Hadjimatheou’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 11 in all, peaking in Jul 2026 with 4.
Appearances
And yet these countries' dictators were falling one by one.
But then, in a town in the southwest of Syria, a group of kids, excited by all the protests in neighbouring countries, spray-painted a wall with anti-regime graffiti which said, ''It's your turn, doctor.''
It was a reference to Bashar, who'd trained as an eye doctor when he lived in London.
These boys were arrested and then they were tortured.
When they were eventually returned to their families, it was clear that these 13, 14 and 15-year-olds had been badly beaten and their fingernails had been pulled out.
When their parents took to the streets to protest, they were shot at.
There was widespread outrage about this and demonstrations broke out across Syria.
And the usually pessimistic Osama, well, he can't help being infected by the energy.
At this point, early on in the protests, most people weren't calling for Bashar to step down.
They thought he could be the one to overthrow his father's old system and lead them to a new, more just future.
This was even after all the signs that Bashar wasn't really implementing any reforms.
People still had hope.
Friday afternoons are important in the rhythm of the Syrian week.
They mark the beginning of the weekend and they start with prayers at the local mosque.
Unauthorised gatherings are illegal, so these weekly prayers, when the community are all in one place, they become the focal point for organising demonstrations.
At first, the regime's forces arrest a few people.
Then they begin using snipers to shoot one or two protesters.
Look at this amateur video, thought to be shot on Friday, that was posted on YouTube over the weekend.
Then they wait for the international response.
When all the authorities get are a few muted reprimands from world leaders, they go further and further.
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