SYRIA. Damascus. December 12, 2024.

Majjida Kaddo (center) stands amidst a crowd of grieving family members of Mazen al-Hamada. Around her, hundreds of mourners gather in solidarity, their collective grief a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who dared to resist oppression.

The funeral of Mazen al-Hamada, a symbol of courage and defiance, has brought together a community united by loss and a shared commitment to remembering the cost of their struggle.

Mazen al-Hamada, imprisoned by the Assad regime since 2020, paid the ultimate price for speaking out against the government during the Syrian civil war. A tireless advocate for justice and human rights, Mazen documented the atrocities committed against Syrians, both from exile and within the country's borders. His remains, discovered this week in Damascus, have become a stark symbol of the regime's ongoing repression and the enduring pain it has inflicted on countless families.