.... Without a moment’s hesitation, she waved the flag, high over her head. And her friend snapped a picture. Esraa posted the photo to her Facebook account accompanied with a post where she denounced discrimination.
A few other concertgoers waved the flag, too. The act, extraordinary in its audacity, provoked public outrage. And it set off a campaign of targeted arrests.
Esraa was not at her mother’s place when the police came for her. And she has not returned to visit since then. She left her job, she moved apartments and she has been living in a state of total paralysis.
In early December, there were no official charges, but those who had been arrested were accused of “inciting debauchery” and could face years in prison.
I reminded Esraa of her words to me when we were filming: I am not scared of anything.
I asked her again if she was afraid.
“It is not fear that is dominating me; it is despair,” she said. “But I have no regrets. I did nothing wrong.” [The New York Times] Read more
