Will Syria’s first lady stand for justice or protect the shadow of the past? asks Yvonne Ridley in an open letter to Latifa al-Daroubi

Dear Madam al-Daroubi, Assalamu Alaikum — Peace be upon you. You have been thrust from the shadows into the world’s most unforgiving spotlight, praised by those around you as a cultured, sophisticated and elegant woman. Your husband, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, introduced you to the world by stating proudly: “My only wife, and I love her very much.” Your peers celebrate you as the epitome of the traditional Syrian woman; not a submissive bystander, but the firm pillar of her family, an educated mother who plans, raises children and commands respect. However, as you step into the grand halls of power, I must ask you a question that echoes from the dark cells beneath your feet: what kind of pillar […]