Not having any journalistic training, Helmi teamed up with friends to report about civil war in Syria. As their work gained momentum, these
citizen journalists created the underground newspaper
Enab Baladi with the intention of reporting the "voice of the vulnerable". Helmi and the newspaper claim that they have been subject to threats from multiple parties involved in the war which prompted her to live in hiding. Her brother was arrested by government forces in 2012 and his fate is unknown. Despite this, she also organised demonstrations, demanding democracy and free speech as well as highlighting
human rights abuses. In 2015 she was awarded the Anna Politkovskaya Award for her continued efforts as a journalist. == References ==