George Sabra
George Sabra جورج صبرة | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the Syrian National Council | |
| Assumed office 9 November 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Abdulbaset Sieda |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 July 1947 Qatana, Syria |
| Alma mater | Damascus University |
George Sabra (Arabic: جورج صبرة, born 11 July 1947) was elected president of the Syrian National Council, the main opposition group in Syria, in November 2012.[1] Sabra is a Christian and former communist.[2]
Early life and education
Born to a Christian family in the city of Qatana in Rif Dimashq Governorate.[3] Sabra graduated with a geography degree from Damascus University in 1971 and a degree in educational technology systems from the University of Indiana in 1978.[4] He since became a geography teacher, as well as a screenwriter. He wrote the Arabic version of the children's show "Sesame street".[5]
Political career
Sabra has been politically active in the Syrian opposition movement since the 1970s. Sabra joined the political bureau of the Syrian Communist Party in 1970 and was elected to its Central Committee in 1985. He was arrested in 1987 during one of many government crackdowns on the party and imprisoned for eight years. A few years after his release, in 2000, he was assigned to represent his party in the National Democratic Assembly, a coalition of leftist parties that was originally formed in 1979, and he was subsequently elected to the assembly’s Central Committee.[4]
In November 2012, he was elected to head the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces (formerly the Syrian National Council and various opposition groups as well as ground forces).
References
- ^ "Syrian National Council chooses George Sabra as leader". BBC News. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
- ^ "Syria: Deraa bombings 'kill soldiers'". BBC News. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
- ^ "Syrian opposition head wants no-strings aid". Al Jazeera. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ a b "George Sabra". Carnegie Middle East Center. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ Hammond, Andrew (9 November 2012). "Syria's opposition SNC elects George Sabra as new head". Reuters. Retrieved 11 November 2012.