Ali Farzat: The Cartoonist Whose Hands Were Broken

Born on June 23, 1951 in Hama, Ali Farzat published his first cartoons in a Syrian newspaper at the age of 12. His career spans over five decades and has challenged Arab authoritarian rulers with biting satire across the entire region. In 2001, he founded Al-Domari (The Lamplighter) — a satirical weekly magazine that became the first independent publication in Syria in 40 years. Syrians were hungry for the satire; circulation reached 70,000. The Assad regime tolerated it briefly, then shut it down in 2003, claiming administrative irregularities. Farzat continued creating cartoons that circulated internationally, depicting corrupt Arab rulers, police states, and the absurdities of authoritarian governance. His work appeared in major Arab newspapers and international media. When the Syrian uprising began in 2011, his cartoons became direct indictments of Bashar al-Assad — including one widely shared image showing Assad trying to hitch a ride with a fleeing Muammar Gaddafi.