Another Attempt to Silence a Cartoonist

Below is a drawing, we know only too painfully well. Made in August 2011 when Ali Ferzat was attacked in Damascus and his hands maimed in order to prevent him from ever drawing again. Words which were even yelled at him while he was being beaten up.

And now the words and the deed behind them are yet again a cruel reality:


The Algerian cartoonist Djamel Ghanem, who is currently being wrongfully sued for a drawing few of us has seen and it was certainly not published, has been attacked by four men who has beaten him up in order to prevent him from drawing, mentally and physically. The reports vary, but he told me that his right hand and knees were injured.

The drawing below was made back in 2011, copied from the press photo released after the attack. The artist is still not known, but its intention remain as strong as ever:

August 27, 2011: Ali Ferzat.
The artist is not known.

Ali Ferzat is thankfully safe in Kuwait. Djamel Ghanem needs to be helped to safety too the soonest possible.

It was only on Tuesday Djamel told me that Algeria is one big prison: Algeria and a prison is the very same thing.


ETA March 11: Djamel has today been acquitted of the charge laid against him. He was not in the country for the trial.