1. Home
  2. Slideshows
  3. Poster Boys and Girls of the Arab Revolutions

Poster Boys and Girls of the Arab Revolutions

Published July 19th, 2011 - 12:57 GMT

These are the poster children and heroes of the Arab revolutions.  Some are just that- children, kids who have been raised as human faces of an otherwise anonymous maelstrom of anonymous popular demonstrations. 

Without these citizen faces, the revolutions would be marked mostly by the faces of much reviled leaders. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, Ali Abdullah Salif, Bashar al-Assad.

Find out which faces stayed with you or haunted you. Some dead, some alive and continuing their daring feats of activism, the poster kids - boys, girls, women, men- of the Arab revolutions, 2011.

 


 

 

View as a slider
View as a list
Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia: The spark or powder keg of the Arab Spring, or 'fire' that caught on and spread wildly. This street vendor's act of self-immolation in response to humiliation & mistreatment at the hands of local authorities led masses to turn on Tunisia's injustice for its people.

Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia: The spark or powder keg of the Arab Spring, or 'fire' that caught on and spread wildly. This street vendor's act of self-immolation in response to humiliation & mistreatment at the hands of local authorities led masses to turn on Tunisia's injustice for its people.

Syria's poster child: Hamza Ali al-Khateeb a round-faced 13 year-old boy vanished from a protest in April, only to show up a month later as a mutilated corpse. His battered purple face and gashed, burn-marked, bullet-ridden skin speak of torture before death. His penis was had been chopped off.

Syria's poster child: Hamza Ali al-Khateeb a round-faced 13 year-old boy vanished from a protest in April, only to show up a month later as a mutilated corpse. His battered purple face and gashed, burn-marked, bullet-ridden skin speak of torture before death. His penis was had been chopped off.

"The Face That Launched a Revolution": THE face of Egypt's gripes with Mubarak, 28 year-old Khaled Said died allegedly beaten to death by Egyptian police in Alexandria on June 6, 2010, after a brutal tortuous arrest. Photos of his disfigured corpse spread on the internet and fueled discontent.

"The Face That Launched a Revolution": THE face of Egypt's gripes with Mubarak, 28 year-old Khaled Said died allegedly beaten to death by Egyptian police in Alexandria on June 6, 2010, after a brutal tortuous arrest. Photos of his disfigured corpse spread on the internet and fueled discontent.

Wael Ghonim- the face of Egypt's Revolution and social media awakening- was propelled into the world of influential faces when imprisoned for launching Egypt's 2011 "We Are All Khaled Said's" Facebook page. He left his job as Google head of marketing, UAE, to pursue his revolutionary cause.

Wael Ghonim- the face of Egypt's Revolution and social media awakening- was propelled into the world of influential faces when imprisoned for launching Egypt's 2011 "We Are All Khaled Said's" Facebook page. He left his job as Google head of marketing, UAE, to pursue his revolutionary cause.

Artsy poster boy: Ahmad Bassiouny 32 year-old father of two was found at a hospital, choked with gas and with rubber bullet wounds with fractures all over. An assistant professor of Art at Helwan Uni, was seized as he videoed protests in January, and died January 28th before Mubarak's ousting.

Artsy poster boy: Ahmad Bassiouny 32 year-old father of two was found at a hospital, choked with gas and with rubber bullet wounds with fractures all over. An assistant professor of Art at Helwan Uni, was seized as he videoed protests in January, and died January 28th before Mubarak's ousting.

Dying to go to Tahrir: Sally Zahran, an early face of Egypt's Tahrir turnout, thought to have died at Tahrir, but found instead to have died 'before' Tahrir. She reportedly fought with her mother about going out to protest at Tahrir before falling off her balcony to her death.

Dying to go to Tahrir: Sally Zahran, an early face of Egypt's Tahrir turnout, thought to have died at Tahrir, but found instead to have died 'before' Tahrir. She reportedly fought with her mother about going out to protest at Tahrir before falling off her balcony to her death.

Neda Soltan: literally a poster child of the green revolution of Iran 2009- bringing a human face to the Persian Awakening and opposition to the Iranian elections. Her death was captured on video and broadcast over the Internet- particularly poignant as a public death of a pretty Persian woman.

Neda Soltan: literally a poster child of the green revolution of Iran 2009- bringing a human face to the Persian Awakening and opposition to the Iranian elections. Her death was captured on video and broadcast over the Internet- particularly poignant as a public death of a pretty Persian woman.

Syrian orphan of the revolution: this child came to public attention when he lost his father this Hama revolution round, having lost his grandfather the last Hama-'incident' round.

Syrian orphan of the revolution: this child came to public attention when he lost his father this Hama revolution round, having lost his grandfather the last Hama-'incident' round.

Bahrain's lyrical female form: A woman poet Is the sign of defiance in Bahrain. Ayat al-Gormezi, 20, who recited a poem at a pro-democracy rally, has become the human face of defiance against the Bahrain regime. She claims she was tortured in prison by a female of the al-Khalifa Royal Family.

Bahrain's lyrical female form: A woman poet Is the sign of defiance in Bahrain. Ayat al-Gormezi, 20, who recited a poem at a pro-democracy rally, has become the human face of defiance against the Bahrain regime. She claims she was tortured in prison by a female of the al-Khalifa Royal Family.

Yemen woman power: Tawakkol Karman, a detained spokeswoman for this beleaguered nation, the 32 year-old mother is challenging the role of women in this conservative society and empowering their cause in Yemen and the wider Arab movement. Clinton made a visit especially to appeal for her release.

Yemen woman power: Tawakkol Karman, a detained spokeswoman for this beleaguered nation, the 32 year-old mother is challenging the role of women in this conservative society and empowering their cause in Yemen and the wider Arab movement. Clinton made a visit especially to appeal for her release.

Starved of rights: Zeinab Khawaja, staged a 10-day hunger strike when her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja -- a high-profile Bahraini opposition figure -- and husband Mohammed al-Masqati were violently seized. She now intends to act as a spokesman for Bahrain's civil and human rights movement.

Starved of rights: Zeinab Khawaja, staged a 10-day hunger strike when her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja -- a high-profile Bahraini opposition figure -- and husband Mohammed al-Masqati were violently seized. She now intends to act as a spokesman for Bahrain's civil and human rights movement.

Iraq's lost boys: Memmon Salam al-Malik, a 13 year-old boy, went missing in 2003. Iraq has sustained its share of unrest & now spurts of protests this Arab Spring. He was found by British troops with a hand blown off, fingers missing & left eye heavily injured from picking up unexploded munitions.

Iraq's lost boys: Memmon Salam al-Malik, a 13 year-old boy, went missing in 2003. Iraq has sustained its share of unrest & now spurts of protests this Arab Spring. He was found by British troops with a hand blown off, fingers missing & left eye heavily injured from picking up unexploded munitions.

Innocent or Guilty? Virginity Tests: Salwa Hosseini was first to come forward from 17 others to complain about Egypt's military submitting them to forms of torture, including beatings, burns, naked searches while photographed by men, and most disturbingly forced virginity tests by a man.

Innocent or Guilty? Virginity Tests: Salwa Hosseini was first to come forward from 17 others to complain about Egypt's military submitting them to forms of torture, including beatings, burns, naked searches while photographed by men, and most disturbingly forced virginity tests by a man.

Fake poster lesbian: Amina Omari, aka Tom MacMaster, under the face mask of Jelena Lemlic. The Syrian lesbian blogger that went 'missing' was less a victim of Syrian regime force, than an American student's cyber-fantasy. Nevertheless, the appropriated face galvanized interest to Syria's unrest.

Fake poster lesbian: Amina Omari, aka Tom MacMaster, under the face mask of Jelena Lemlic. The Syrian lesbian blogger that went 'missing' was less a victim of Syrian regime force, than an American student's cyber-fantasy. Nevertheless, the appropriated face galvanized interest to Syria's unrest.

Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia: The spark or powder keg of the Arab Spring, or 'fire' that caught on and spread wildly. This street vendor's act of self-immolation in response to humiliation & mistreatment at the hands of local authorities led masses to turn on Tunisia's injustice for its people.
Syria's poster child: Hamza Ali al-Khateeb a round-faced 13 year-old boy vanished from a protest in April, only to show up a month later as a mutilated corpse. His battered purple face and gashed, burn-marked, bullet-ridden skin speak of torture before death. His penis was had been chopped off.
"The Face That Launched a Revolution": THE face of Egypt's gripes with Mubarak, 28 year-old Khaled Said died allegedly beaten to death by Egyptian police in Alexandria on June 6, 2010, after a brutal tortuous arrest. Photos of his disfigured corpse spread on the internet and fueled discontent.
Wael Ghonim- the face of Egypt's Revolution and social media awakening- was propelled into the world of influential faces when imprisoned for launching Egypt's 2011 "We Are All Khaled Said's" Facebook page. He left his job as Google head of marketing, UAE, to pursue his revolutionary cause.
Artsy poster boy: Ahmad Bassiouny 32 year-old father of two was found at a hospital, choked with gas and with rubber bullet wounds with fractures all over. An assistant professor of Art at Helwan Uni, was seized as he videoed protests in January, and died January 28th before Mubarak's ousting.
Dying to go to Tahrir: Sally Zahran, an early face of Egypt's Tahrir turnout, thought to have died at Tahrir, but found instead to have died 'before' Tahrir. She reportedly fought with her mother about going out to protest at Tahrir before falling off her balcony to her death.
Neda Soltan: literally a poster child of the green revolution of Iran 2009- bringing a human face to the Persian Awakening and opposition to the Iranian elections. Her death was captured on video and broadcast over the Internet- particularly poignant as a public death of a pretty Persian woman.
Syrian orphan of the revolution: this child came to public attention when he lost his father this Hama revolution round, having lost his grandfather the last Hama-'incident' round.
Bahrain's lyrical female form: A woman poet Is the sign of defiance in Bahrain. Ayat al-Gormezi, 20, who recited a poem at a pro-democracy rally, has become the human face of defiance against the Bahrain regime. She claims she was tortured in prison by a female of the al-Khalifa Royal Family.
Yemen woman power: Tawakkol Karman, a detained spokeswoman for this beleaguered nation, the 32 year-old mother is challenging the role of women in this conservative society and empowering their cause in Yemen and the wider Arab movement. Clinton made a visit especially to appeal for her release.
Starved of rights: Zeinab Khawaja, staged a 10-day hunger strike when her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja -- a high-profile Bahraini opposition figure -- and husband Mohammed al-Masqati were violently seized. She now intends to act as a spokesman for Bahrain's civil and human rights movement.
Iraq's lost boys: Memmon Salam al-Malik, a 13 year-old boy, went missing in 2003. Iraq has sustained its share of unrest & now spurts of protests this Arab Spring. He was found by British troops with a hand blown off, fingers missing & left eye heavily injured from picking up unexploded munitions.
Innocent or Guilty? Virginity Tests: Salwa Hosseini was first to come forward from 17 others to complain about Egypt's military submitting them to forms of torture, including beatings, burns, naked searches while photographed by men, and most disturbingly forced virginity tests by a man.
Fake poster lesbian: Amina Omari, aka Tom MacMaster, under the face mask of Jelena Lemlic. The Syrian lesbian blogger that went 'missing' was less a victim of Syrian regime force, than an American student's cyber-fantasy. Nevertheless, the appropriated face galvanized interest to Syria's unrest.
Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia: The spark or powder keg of the Arab Spring, or 'fire' that caught on and spread wildly. This street vendor's act of self-immolation in response to humiliation & mistreatment at the hands of local authorities led masses to turn on Tunisia's injustice for its people.
Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia: The spark or powder keg of the Arab Spring, or 'fire' that caught on and spread wildly. This street vendor's act of self-immolation in response to humiliation & mistreatment at the hands of local authorities led masses to turn on Tunisia's injustice for its people.
Syria's poster child: Hamza Ali al-Khateeb a round-faced 13 year-old boy vanished from a protest in April, only to show up a month later as a mutilated corpse. His battered purple face and gashed, burn-marked, bullet-ridden skin speak of torture before death. His penis was had been chopped off.
Syria's poster child: Hamza Ali al-Khateeb a round-faced 13 year-old boy vanished from a protest in April, only to show up a month later as a mutilated corpse. His battered purple face and gashed, burn-marked, bullet-ridden skin speak of torture before death. His penis was had been chopped off.
"The Face That Launched a Revolution": THE face of Egypt's gripes with Mubarak, 28 year-old Khaled Said died allegedly beaten to death by Egyptian police in Alexandria on June 6, 2010, after a brutal tortuous arrest. Photos of his disfigured corpse spread on the internet and fueled discontent.
"The Face That Launched a Revolution": THE face of Egypt's gripes with Mubarak, 28 year-old Khaled Said died allegedly beaten to death by Egyptian police in Alexandria on June 6, 2010, after a brutal tortuous arrest. Photos of his disfigured corpse spread on the internet and fueled discontent.
Wael Ghonim- the face of Egypt's Revolution and social media awakening- was propelled into the world of influential faces when imprisoned for launching Egypt's 2011 "We Are All Khaled Said's" Facebook page. He left his job as Google head of marketing, UAE, to pursue his revolutionary cause.
Wael Ghonim- the face of Egypt's Revolution and social media awakening- was propelled into the world of influential faces when imprisoned for launching Egypt's 2011 "We Are All Khaled Said's" Facebook page. He left his job as Google head of marketing, UAE, to pursue his revolutionary cause.
Artsy poster boy: Ahmad Bassiouny 32 year-old father of two was found at a hospital, choked with gas and with rubber bullet wounds with fractures all over. An assistant professor of Art at Helwan Uni, was seized as he videoed protests in January, and died January 28th before Mubarak's ousting.
Artsy poster boy: Ahmad Bassiouny 32 year-old father of two was found at a hospital, choked with gas and with rubber bullet wounds with fractures all over. An assistant professor of Art at Helwan Uni, was seized as he videoed protests in January, and died January 28th before Mubarak's ousting.
Dying to go to Tahrir: Sally Zahran, an early face of Egypt's Tahrir turnout, thought to have died at Tahrir, but found instead to have died 'before' Tahrir. She reportedly fought with her mother about going out to protest at Tahrir before falling off her balcony to her death.
Dying to go to Tahrir: Sally Zahran, an early face of Egypt's Tahrir turnout, thought to have died at Tahrir, but found instead to have died 'before' Tahrir. She reportedly fought with her mother about going out to protest at Tahrir before falling off her balcony to her death.
Neda Soltan: literally a poster child of the green revolution of Iran 2009- bringing a human face to the Persian Awakening and opposition to the Iranian elections. Her death was captured on video and broadcast over the Internet- particularly poignant as a public death of a pretty Persian woman.
Neda Soltan: literally a poster child of the green revolution of Iran 2009- bringing a human face to the Persian Awakening and opposition to the Iranian elections. Her death was captured on video and broadcast over the Internet- particularly poignant as a public death of a pretty Persian woman.
Syrian orphan of the revolution: this child came to public attention when he lost his father this Hama revolution round, having lost his grandfather the last Hama-'incident' round.
Syrian orphan of the revolution: this child came to public attention when he lost his father this Hama revolution round, having lost his grandfather the last Hama-'incident' round.
Bahrain's lyrical female form: A woman poet Is the sign of defiance in Bahrain. Ayat al-Gormezi, 20, who recited a poem at a pro-democracy rally, has become the human face of defiance against the Bahrain regime. She claims she was tortured in prison by a female of the al-Khalifa Royal Family.
Bahrain's lyrical female form: A woman poet Is the sign of defiance in Bahrain. Ayat al-Gormezi, 20, who recited a poem at a pro-democracy rally, has become the human face of defiance against the Bahrain regime. She claims she was tortured in prison by a female of the al-Khalifa Royal Family.
Yemen woman power: Tawakkol Karman, a detained spokeswoman for this beleaguered nation, the 32 year-old mother is challenging the role of women in this conservative society and empowering their cause in Yemen and the wider Arab movement. Clinton made a visit especially to appeal for her release.
Yemen woman power: Tawakkol Karman, a detained spokeswoman for this beleaguered nation, the 32 year-old mother is challenging the role of women in this conservative society and empowering their cause in Yemen and the wider Arab movement. Clinton made a visit especially to appeal for her release.
Starved of rights: Zeinab Khawaja, staged a 10-day hunger strike when her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja -- a high-profile Bahraini opposition figure -- and husband Mohammed al-Masqati were violently seized. She now intends to act as a spokesman for Bahrain's civil and human rights movement.
Starved of rights: Zeinab Khawaja, staged a 10-day hunger strike when her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja -- a high-profile Bahraini opposition figure -- and husband Mohammed al-Masqati were violently seized. She now intends to act as a spokesman for Bahrain's civil and human rights movement.
Iraq's lost boys: Memmon Salam al-Malik, a 13 year-old boy, went missing in 2003. Iraq has sustained its share of unrest & now spurts of protests this Arab Spring. He was found by British troops with a hand blown off, fingers missing & left eye heavily injured from picking up unexploded munitions.
Iraq's lost boys: Memmon Salam al-Malik, a 13 year-old boy, went missing in 2003. Iraq has sustained its share of unrest & now spurts of protests this Arab Spring. He was found by British troops with a hand blown off, fingers missing & left eye heavily injured from picking up unexploded munitions.
Innocent or Guilty? Virginity Tests: Salwa Hosseini was first to come forward from 17 others to complain about Egypt's military submitting them to forms of torture, including beatings, burns, naked searches while photographed by men, and most disturbingly forced virginity tests by a man.
Innocent or Guilty? Virginity Tests: Salwa Hosseini was first to come forward from 17 others to complain about Egypt's military submitting them to forms of torture, including beatings, burns, naked searches while photographed by men, and most disturbingly forced virginity tests by a man.
Fake poster lesbian: Amina Omari, aka Tom MacMaster, under the face mask of Jelena Lemlic. The Syrian lesbian blogger that went 'missing' was less a victim of Syrian regime force, than an American student's cyber-fantasy. Nevertheless, the appropriated face galvanized interest to Syria's unrest.
Fake poster lesbian: Amina Omari, aka Tom MacMaster, under the face mask of Jelena Lemlic. The Syrian lesbian blogger that went 'missing' was less a victim of Syrian regime force, than an American student's cyber-fantasy. Nevertheless, the appropriated face galvanized interest to Syria's unrest.

You may also like

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content
Subscribe Now
Loading content ...