Duraid Lahham on Assad: “Syria Has Become a One-Man Show,” as stars shift positions
Duraid Lahham recently discussed Assad’s oppressive regime and the changing perspectives of Syrian stars in a candid interview .
After the fall of the Assad regime, many Syrian celebrities experienced a change in their artistic and personal orientations. Duraid Lahham, for example, said how true the statement he made after the fall of the Assad regime was: “When I said I love you, I meant inside that I hate you.” Was it he who said that?
Duraid Lahham continued, stating that “Assad’s intelligence branches were more numerous than schools in Syria,” and that “Assad turned Syria into a single opinion without any opposition.”
Additionally, Lahham affirmed his desire for Syria to be free of Captagon industries connected to the ruling regime, saying, “If I had gone too far in criticizing Bashar al-Assad, you would have extracted my bones from Sednaya prison.”
Duraid Lahham added, “We thank Bashar al-Assad for his escape.”
Previously, Dureid posted a video on Facebook that had snippets from the play “Kasak Ya Watan,” which he staged in 1978 and was a huge success. “Congratulations on the new birth of my homeland, Syria,” he remarked. We must stay united with all of our political affiliations and sects if we are to continue celebrating this event annually.”
“Syria must be our sole sect, and we sing as if we were children,” he went on. He emphasized, “My homeland, my homeland,” as if this was all he had to say about “this occasion.”
During their conversation, Mohammed Al-Rashi also spoke candidly naming the artists who helped him and kept the military of the former Syrian regime from arresting him.
When someone changes their viewpoint, it’s not a mistake, he added. What struck me, though, was that when I participated in the protests and sent condolences, I felt the same fear they did, and I didn’t want my opponent to live in the same environment as me.
He went on: “Mohammed Hadaqi” was the first person I called after the fall because he was my angel, always saved me, and protected Fares Al-Helou and me by taking us to his house and renting a house for us.
“Many artists, including Ayman Zidan, not Haji and Nidal, helped us,” he continued. “May God have mercy on him.” These names shock people, but they don’t realize the conditions by seeing them. “Please do not use the same method as the regime,” he said as he wrapped up his remarks.
He also revealed that Maher al-Assad was in charge of the drama production companies, emphasizing that the Khatib security branch specialized in questioning artists.
He continued, “The regime arrested me because I chanted for al-Assad’s downfall, and they subjected me to psychological torture.”
