Karam Alhamad

Karam al-Hamad (; born 1990) is a Syrian journalist and human rights activist, and former political detainee. Al-Hamad is also known for his efforts to cover the Syrian uprising, including being jailed four times between 2011 and 2014.

Early life and education Al-Hamad was born in Deir ez-Zor, Syria in 1990.

Al-Hamad studied petroleum engineering at Al-Furat University, but was unable to finish his degree due to his multiple arrests. Al-Hamad interned at Amnesty International as part of the fellowship. He eventually graduated with a degree in economics, Politics, and Social Thought from Bard College Berlin in 2020. He is scheduled to begin attending Yale University on a scholarship in 2021, studying for an MPP in Global Affairs.

Political activism During his first year at Al-Furat University, al-Hamad published a magazine on campus containing hidden messages speaking out against the Assad regime. He was arrested a second time and jailed for 70 days after he was accused of leading demonstrations.

After organizing protests in Deir ez-Zor, al-Hamad was arrested for the fourth time in 2013. He was accused of spying, detained, and tortured in the Far' Falastin prison after a coerced confession. He was released in July 2014, after which he left the country, seeking refuge in Turkey.

In 2015, al-Hamad was nominated for membership in the Youth Advisory Board for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, or UN-Habitat.

Career Al-Hamad's involvement in journalism began when he was still living in Syria. Before the protests, he had worked for the main newspaper in Deir ez-Zor. The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The New Humanitarian, and Al Bawaba. His articles have also been published in scholarly journals such as the Yale Journal of International Affairs and International Studies Quarterly. Al-Hamad has also been quoted as an eyewitness to the Syrian uprising in news outlets such as Al Arabiya and the Associated Press.

Al-Hamad has also worked as a lead researcher on Eastern Syria, and his research projects have been supported by organizations such as USAID and Harvard University. He has worked with officials in the U.S. Embassy as a research coordinator for Eastern Syria-related topics.