Prominent Syrian Cartoonist Attacked for Sexual Drawing of Leading Female Politician

In a strong message criticizing the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian cartoonist Ali Farzat posted a controversial cartoon with a caption that has stirred an online backlash.

Farzat, who is known for his anti-Assad views, continues his criticism of the Istanbul-based political movement that has been representing the Syrian opposition in Geneva negotiations with the Assad government.

However, he sparked online debates after posting a cartoon on Facebook showing the naked back of a woman with a caption mentioning a leading female politician in the Syrian coalition, Ruba Habosh, who is the vice president of the coalition.

Translation: "In solidarity with Ms. Ruba Habosh against Ali Farzat's nonsense. Unfortunately, he was a globally renowned artist representing the Syrian elite. Maybe this explains why Syria always reaches a dead end, the fact that we should always admit; there are thugs on both sides of the conflict."

In his caption, Farzat said: "The only source of pride in the coalition is Ruba's a*s."

In response, many online users called on Farzat to remove the post deemed "offensive" and demanded his apology, saying that "political disagreements should not involve sexualizing political figures."

Using the hashtag #Solidarity_with_Ruba_Habosh, some Twitter users expressed their own dissatisfaction with the policies adopted by the coalition and its leaders, including Habosh, but refused Farzat's post, saying his attack on her is "not valid political criticism."

Translation: "Disgusting. Ali Farzat who has been bragging about being known on a global level and after Assad's thugs broke his fingers and brought him the sympathy of pro-revolution people is now offending himself and the revolution with a disgusting drawing that expresses his sick morals against the vice president of Syrian national coalition Ruba Habosh. I am always critical of the coalition but there are moral and professional red lines."

Farzat is one of the well-known political cartoonists in Syria, and his anti-Assad views had led to a violent attack on him in Damascus in August 2011, during which armed men believed to be pro-Assad assaulted him and especially targeted his hands, for his drawings against the Assad rule.