Al-Faẓia’ tells the harrowing life story of Akram Al Saud, a young architecture student who moved to Aleppo at the age of 19 and was first unjustly arrested in 2010. After nine months of brutal imprisonment, he joined the revolution against the Assad regime. Despite further arrests, he maintained his hope for a free Syria and was finally forced to flee to Europe in 2016. Based on personal interviews, Tobi Dahmen vividly portrays the life of a man who found the courage to resist despite the terror.

At the same time, the comic showcases the unique collaboration between Al Saud and Dahmen and serves as an example of how the unspeakable can find expression in art. The book was created as part of the international project “Survivor-Centred Visual Narratives” at the University of Victoria in Canada and was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). A comprehensive appendix provides detailed historical background and insights into the collaboration surrounding the project.