Behind the scenes of war, Syria’s first lady rose to the apex of power.
She was once Emma: a high-achieving, middle-class girl from West London. Then, in 2001, she married Bashar al-Assad, the new leader of Syria, and her life dramatically changed course. For many Syrians, the young president and his glamorous British-born wife — now called Asma — promised a new beginning. Instead, when the Arab Spring reached Syria in 2011, those promises gave way to one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century. Did Asma know of the horrors around her? Did she try to stop them? Some Syrians accuse her of profiting from the war. Others insist she wanted to escape. So, who was the real Emma?
Introducing ... We call her Emma
In 2001 Emma marries Bashar al-Assad, the now infamous dictator of Syria. What did she really know about the atrocities her husband’s government was carrying out? And what choices did she really have?
Episode 1: The girl From Acton
Emma is a high achieving, middle-class woman from West London — she’s destined for a successful career and a comfortable British life. But in 2001 she makes a decision that will come to define her — she marries the son of a dictator and becomes Asma al-Assad, the first lady of Syria.
More episodes to come
