Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 17 hours ago
Understanding Prison
MENA Prison Forum in Berlin #7
Justice for Little Palestine: The Siege and Starvation of Yarmouk (Syria) on Trial
Concert & Reading with Aeham Ahmad, Wassim Mukdad, and Lujain Mustafa
Panel Discussion with Nemat Khaled, Wassim Mukdad & Dalia Qumsieh / Moderator: Riad Othman
Once a vibrant Palestinian refugee camp and an integral part of Damascus, Yarmouk became a site of extreme state violence in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution. Following mass protests in 2012, the Assad regime and its allied militias imposed a brutal siege. Civilians were cut off from food, medicine and aid. “Besiege, starve, force to surrender” became the strategy of the regime.
The experiences from Yarmouk reveal alarming parallels to Gaza. Humanitarian aid structures are being deliberately destroyed, supply routes are cut off, and civilians are being endangered by the deprivation of essential resources.
The seventh edition of the discourse series “Understanding Prison: MENA Prison Forum in Berlin” weaves together music, testimony and dialogue. Pianist Aeham Ahmad, who survived the starvation siege of Yarmouk, will perform together with activist Wassim Mukdad on Oud Actress. Lujain Mustafa reads from Aeham Ahmad’s book, which describes the siege. This will be followed by a panel discussion. In light of the ongoing court proceedings in Koblenz, the question arises: Following war crimes involving the deliberate use of hunger as a weapon, are there opportunities for justice and accountability, from Yarmouk to Gaza?
A co-operation by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, MENA Prison Forum, UMAM D&R, ECCHR, medico international.
More on ECCHR's work on the starvation siege of Yarmouk: https://www.ecchr.eu/en/case/the-starvation-siege-of-yarmouk/
After twelve years in exile, human rights lawyer and ECCHR Legal Advisor Joumana Seif was able to return to Syria for the first time. In her Letters from Damascus she is reporting from Syria at regular intervals. https://www.ecchr.eu/en/publication/letter-from-damascus/
00:00 Welcome
10:55 Concert and reading with Aeham Ahmad, Wassim Mukdad and Lujain Mustafa
1:06:40 Panel discussion with Nemat Khaled, Wassim Mukdad and Dalia Qumsieh. Moderation: Riad Othman
Understanding Prison
MENA Prison Forum in Berlin #7
Justice for Little Palestine: The Siege and Starvation of Yarmouk (Syria) on Trial
Concert & Reading with Aeham Ahmad, Wassim Mukdad, and Lujain Mustafa
Panel Discussion with Nemat Khaled, Wassim Mukdad & Dalia Qumsieh / Moderator: Riad Othman
Once a vibrant Palestinian refugee camp and an integral part of Damascus, Yarmouk became a site of extreme state violence in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution. Following mass protests in 2012, the Assad regime and its allied militias imposed a brutal siege. Civilians were cut off from food, medicine and aid. “Besiege, starve, force to surrender” became the strategy of the regime.
The experiences from Yarmouk reveal alarming parallels to Gaza. Humanitarian aid structures are being deliberately destroyed, supply routes are cut off, and civilians are being endangered by the deprivation of essential resources.
The seventh edition of the discourse series “Understanding Prison: MENA Prison Forum in Berlin” weaves together music, testimony and dialogue. Pianist Aeham Ahmad, who survived the starvation siege of Yarmouk, will perform together with activist Wassim Mukdad on Oud Actress. Lujain Mustafa reads from Aeham Ahmad’s book, which describes the siege. This will be followed by a panel discussion. In light of the ongoing court proceedings in Koblenz, the question arises: Following war crimes involving the deliberate use of hunger as a weapon, are there opportunities for justice and accountability, from Yarmouk to Gaza?
A co-operation by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, MENA Prison Forum, UMAM D&R, ECCHR, medico international.
More on ECCHR's work on the starvation siege of Yarmouk: https://www.ecchr.eu/en/case/the-starvation-siege-of-yarmouk/
After twelve years in exile, human rights lawyer and ECCHR Legal Advisor Joumana Seif was able to return to Syria for the first time. In her Letters from Damascus she is reporting from Syria at regular intervals. https://www.ecchr.eu/en/publication/letter-from-damascus/
00:00 Welcome
10:55 Concert and reading with Aeham Ahmad, Wassim Mukdad and Lujain Mustafa
1:06:40 Panel discussion with Nemat Khaled, Wassim Mukdad and Dalia Qumsieh. Moderation: Riad Othman
