Meet Hisham Mustafa

Meet Hisham Mustafa,

Hisham, a father of three and a Syrian refugee residing in Istanbul fled Syria in 2016. For the three years he has spent in Turkey he has been working alongside his siblings in providing for his family.

Hisham was apprehended from his home in mid-July by the Turkish authorities, taken to a detention centre and then deported to Syria. Keeping in mind that such action is illegal given the fact that Hisham has a “KIMLIK” which is a refugee protection card that is supposed to enable him the right to stay in Turkey and in Istanbul in particular as it was issued by the authorities there. Nevertheless Hisham was arrested in Istanbul and treated as though he were a criminal, as has been the case for over 15000 thousand other Syrians in Turkey over the past weeks. Hate campaigns targeting Syrians and facist decisions on a government level imposing further restrictions on Syrians have meant that millions in Turkey feel threatened by an uncertain future.

Today we have an example of that uncertain future as Hisham, who had been separated from his wife and three children upon being deported to what could be considered another world, made the desperate attempt of crossing the border to Turkey. Because the only other option of re-uniting with his family would mean bringing them to the war-zone he now lived in.

As Hisham approached the border early Monday morning he was confronted with Turkish armed forces and was shot dead by sniper gunfire, he was then buried and laid to rest later in the afternoon.

The Turkish authorities have not commented on this horrific incident, and are dealing with it just as they have done previously with the scores of others that have been killed/abused and humiliated at its border with Syria. A country like Turkey that somehow presents itself as a civil state should be recognised as a failed one, one that only wishes to manipulate the world into thinking that its government bares any respect for human rights whatsoever.

So as always Syrians are at the forefront of injustice and today we say farewell to Hisham, an example of an uncertain future for millions of Syrians in Turkey.

RIP Hisham Mustafa

Day 3,066 of the international holocaust against Syrians.

06/08/2019

Rami Jarrah

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”