Abdalaziz is an award-winning Syrian journalist, human rights defender activist and IT trainer. He is the founder and spokesperson of Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) which is a nonpartisan, independent organization that exposes the atrocities committed by the Syrian regime, ISIS & other groups in Syria. Abdalaziz started non-volatile protests and demonstrations against the Syrian regime in 2011 and was arrested by the regime three times in 2012. The Islamic State Group (ISIS) interrogated him more than one time about his activism. After ISIS took control of his hometown, Raqqa in January 2014, he escaped to Turkey and started RBSS with his friends to show the reality of life in Raqqa and ISIS. In 2015. The acclaimed documentary, “City of Ghosts”, follows the journey of Abdalaziz and his colleagues, highlighting the crux of freedom of expression and the challenges faced by Syrians in a war-torn country. Today Abdalaziz is a fellow at the New America foundation, The McCain Institute and the EastWest Institute.

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