Weeks before being assaulted, Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat depicted President Bashar al-Assad thumbing a ride from ousted, now-deceased Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Arab cartoons court controversy —
Weeks before being assaulted, Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat depicted President Bashar al-Assad thumbing a ride from ousted, now-deceased Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Courtesy Ali Ferzat
In 2011, Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat was assaulted by pro-Assad masked gunmen. They broke his fingers, telling him, 'the president's boot is better than you.' The beating made international headlines.
Cartoonists court controversy —
In 2011, Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat was assaulted by pro-Assad masked gunmen. They broke his fingers, telling him, 'the president's boot is better than you.' The beating made international headlines.
BERIT ROALD/AFP/Getty Images)
Prior to the revolution, Ferzat poked fun at political figures outside the country. In the months leading up to the Syrian revolution, he started drawing al- Assad, the only cartoonist to do so.
Arab cartoons court controversy —
Prior to the revolution, Ferzat poked fun at political figures outside the country. In the months leading up to the Syrian revolution, he started drawing al- Assad, the only cartoonist to do so.
Courtesy Ali Ferzat
Currently living in exile in Kuwait, Ferzat continues to satirize the Syrian regime with his comics.
Arab cartoons court controversy —
Currently living in exile in Kuwait, Ferzat continues to satirize the Syrian regime with his comics.
Mosaic Syria
One of Ferzat's trademarks is he doesn't use captions, preferring to rely on strong images that convey a universal message.
Arab cartoons court controversy —
One of Ferzat's trademarks is he doesn't use captions, preferring to rely on strong images that convey a universal message.
Mosaic Syria
This image, depicting a Trojan horse on tanks, was one of the drawings Ferzat made after his hands healed.
Arab cartoons court controversy —
This image, depicting a Trojan horse on tanks, was one of the drawings Ferzat made after his hands healed.
Mosaic Syria
Iranian cartoonist Nikahang Kowsar was arrested in 2000 for a cartoon he drew making fun of a famous cleric. He was exiled to Canada in 2003, after receiving death threats for his drawings.
Death threat for drawings —
Iranian cartoonist Nikahang Kowsar was arrested in 2000 for a cartoon he drew making fun of a famous cleric. He was exiled to Canada in 2003, after receiving death threats for his drawings.
Courtesty of Nikahang Kowsar
The cartoon that got Kowsar in trouble depicted Ayatollah MJesbah Yazdi, a famous Iranian cleric, as a crocodile squeezing the life out of a journalist with his tail.
Drawing controversy —
The cartoon that got Kowsar in trouble depicted Ayatollah MJesbah Yazdi, a famous Iranian cleric, as a crocodile squeezing the life out of a journalist with his tail.
Nikahang Kowsar
Kowsar, who says he was inspired by Animal Farm, continues to depict Iran's leaders in beastly form.
Drawing controversy —
Kowsar, who says he was inspired by Animal Farm, continues to depict Iran's leaders in beastly form.
Courtesty of Nikahang Kowsar
Iran's limits on free speech continue to be a theme for many of Kowsar's drawings.
Drawing controversy —
Iran's limits on free speech continue to be a theme for many of Kowsar's drawings.
Nikahang Kowsar