Suffering for their art

Art often flourishes in adversity, and conditions don't come much more adverse than those currently found in Syria - so it's perhaps no surprise that many Syrians have turned to writing songs and books as a way of coping with the trauma, making sense of the situation and attacking those they hold responsible. Some of the musicians and authors have been able to flee the country and now enjoy creative freedom, if not freedom from the nightmare of life back in their homeland; others, however, remain in Syria and regularly suffer the consequences of speaking out in song or word.