Funeral for activist turns into call for justice for other missing Syrians
Hundreds of Syrians marched through central Damascus in a funeral procession for one of the country's most prominent anti-government activists, whose body was found after the ouster of President Bashar Assad
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Hundreds of Syrians marched through central Damascus on Thursday in the funeral procession of a well-known anti-government figure, chanting calls for justice for the activist who was killed in prison during the last days of President Bashar Assad’s rule.
Unimaginable only a week earlier, the procession for Mazen al-Hamada recalled the funerals-turned-protests of the early days of the uprising against Assad 13 years ago.
With the fear of Assad’s brutal reprisals lifted, many on the street expressed mixed feelings. Some basked in the right to rally and shout the name of the deposed president, calling for him to be tried. Others wondered if this moment of freedom would last, wary of the insurgents who ousted Assad and now control Damascus.
“We will not forget your blood, Mazen,” the marchers, most of them young people, chanted outside a mosque while family and friends held funeral prayers inside.
