By Shady Hamadi, Il Fatto Quotidiano
February 24, 2014

(…)
Led to the headquarters of the secret services, Khalifa is beaten in the interrogation room… in despair, he says, “I am a Christian, and an atheist. How can I be part of the Muslim Brotherhood? “…

After the so-called “welcome party” -the first cycle of torture- Mustafa is sent to prison, in Tadmur, where the Assad family has brought hell on earth.

Khalifa, in his autobiographical novel “The Shell” recounts the smallest details of torture. We enter with him into the twenty-five square meter cell, with a hundred other people, where he was locked up for years…

“The shell” is a strong book, because it does not revolve around the reality. It is an essential reading because it shows that historical truth is not considered in today’s debate on Syria. Torture, summary executions, imprisonment of women, men and children in Syrian prisons has been the basis of power of the Assad family…

Khalifa gives us the opportunity to touch with both hands his experience, and enter into his shell.