Kholoud Helmi
Kholoud Helmi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984 (age 41–42) |
| Alma mater | Damascus University |
| Employer | newspaper Enab Baladi. |
| Known for | journalist Anna Politkovskaya Award for her reporting about the Syrian Civil War |
Kholoud Waleed Helmi[1][2][3] (Arabic: خلود وليد حلمي; born in 1984 in Darayya[4]) is a Syrian journalist, co-founder and editor of the independent newspaper Enab Baladi. She is a recipient of the Anna Politkovskaya Award for her reporting about the Syrian Civil War.
Early life
Helmi grew up in Darayya and studied English Literature at Damascus University before becoming a teacher in her native Syria.[5][6] As a result of the Darayya massacre, she left the town and fled to the countryside with her family.[6]
Work as journalist and activism
Not having any journalistic training, Helmi teamed up with friends to report about civil war in Syria. As their work gained momentum, these citizen journalists created the underground newspaper Enab Baladi with the intention of reporting the "voice of the vulnerable".[5][7]
Helmi and the newspaper claim that they have been subject to threats from multiple parties involved in the war which prompted her to live in hiding.[8] Her brother was arrested by government forces in 2012 and his fate is unknown.[6] For a period of time she was exiled in Turkey.[9]
Despite this, she also organised demonstrations, demanding democracy and free speech as well as highlighting human rights abuses.[10] In 2015 she was awarded the Anna Politkovskaya Award for her continued efforts as a journalist.[8]
References
- ^ "خلود حلمي تفوز بجائزة التقارير الشجاعة في الأماكن الخطرة" [Kholoud Helmy wins the award for courageous reporting in dangerous places]. عنب بلدي (in Arabic). 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ^ Eymard, Aubin (2025-09-22). "After Surviving the Syrian Civil War, an Underground Newspaper Makes a Triumphant Return". New Lines Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
- ^ "The Apricot Tree: Kholoud Waleed Tells Stories to Make Sense of the Syrian Civil War | University of Oregon - UNESCO Crossings Institute". unesco.uoregon.edu. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
Waleed — which is not her real last name — was the 2015 recipient of the Anna Politkovskaya Award..
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "خلود وليد تفوز بجائزة التقارير الشجاعة في الأماكن الخطرة" [Kholoud Walid wins the award for courageous reporting in dangerous places]. عنب بلدي (in Arabic). 2015-10-11. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ^ a b "Kholoud Waleed: Syrian Journalist And Bravest Woman In The World". Marie Claire. 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
- ^ a b c Boffey, Daniel (2016-05-08). "Gaziantep: home to Isis killers, sex traders… and a quest to rebuild Syria". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
- ^ "Making waves: Kholoud Waleed". New Internationalist. 2016-03-01. Archived from the original on 2019-04-05. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
- ^ a b "Syrian Journalist Wins Award for Courageous Reporting Despite Dangers". VOA. Reuters. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
- ^ Davis, David; Cordesman, Anthony; Hassan, Hassan; Frouin, Camille; Waleed, Kholoud (2015-11-29). "Should parliament endorse UK air strikes in Syria?". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
- ^ "Kholoud Waleed (Syria) 2015: Winner of the Anna Politkovskaya Award – Raw In War". www.rawinwar.org. Retrieved 2018-06-20.