A voice for the voiceless… Let us stand with the oppressed against the oppressor.

About

 

Sohayb Hossam Eldin Khalil Farag, known as Sohayb Farag, is a seasoned journalist and media producer with over a decade of experience in media and television production. He specializes in economic and political affairs in Egypt and the Middle East and is a skilled analyst of the region’s dynamics. Sohayb is fluent in both Arabic and English and currently resides in Manchester, United Kingdom, after moving there from Doha, Qatar, where he was born and raised.

 

Sohayb received his primary and secondary education in Qatar, growing up in a cultural and academic environment that greatly shaped his intellectual development. He was raised in a family with a strong emphasis on education and culture—his father is a professor of humanities who previously lectured at the prestigious University of Oxford.

 

In 2017, Sohayb earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Qatar University, with a minor in International Affairs. This academic foundation deepened his interest in regional political and economic issues, providing him with a solid academic background to support his professional career.

 

Over the course of his career, Sohayb has worked with some of the world’s leading media organizations and played a pivotal role in producing investigative journalism content. While working at Al Jazeera, he held the position of producer in the programs department, where he conducted interviews with prominent political and intellectual figures as well as decision-makers. He also contributed to the production of more than 20 documentary films, including:

 

• “Kharej al-Nass” (Out of Text): A documentary series highlighting banned literary and artistic works in the Arab world.

 

• “The Black Box” (Al-Sanduq Al-Aswad): Investigative reports revealing secrets and hidden aspects of sensitive political and security issues.

 

In addition, Sohayb worked as a news editor in the newsroom, where he was responsible for editing articles, preparing news bulletins, and covering significant events, such as the Doha peace negotiations between the Taliban and the United States.

 

Sohayb’s impact extends beyond print journalism. He has produced controversial documentaries that tackled sensitive issues in the region, including:

 

• “The Inmate: Political Opposition in Qatar” – An investigative report exposing the imprisonment of members of Qatar’s ruling family due to their political dissent during the Gulf crisis (2017–2021).

 

• “My Memoirs: Abdul Salam Zaeef” – A film documenting the journey of Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, one of the founding members of the Taliban and its former ambassador to Pakistan. The documentary offers a unique perspective on modern Afghan history since the late 1970s.

 

• “The Iranian Islamic Revolution: An Insider’s View” – An in-depth analysis of the Iranian Revolution through the memoirs of Ayatollah Hussein Montazeri, exploring events from an unfamiliar angle.

 

In addition to his documentary work, Sohayb has authored articles for Al Jazeera Blogs and the Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq. Among his published pieces, one titled ‘How Religion Became a Political Tool in Saudi Arabia’ sparked significant debate. Additionally, he has published other works in Turkish.

 

For Sohayb, journalism was never just a profession; it was a deliberate choice, fully aware of the risks involved. From the moment he began his journalistic journey, his voice became a thorn in the side of oppressive regimes, and his pen a weapon in a battle he did not choose but found himself in.

 

In 2015, during a brief visit to Egypt, Sohayb was arrested on charges related to “anti-state activity,” “terrorism,” and “spreading false news”—vague accusations stemming from his journalistic work. Reflecting on his time in a cramped prison cell, Sohayb says:

 

“I realized that journalism is not merely reporting the news; it’s a commitment to truth, even if it costs me my freedom.”

 

Following his release, he returned to Qatar. However, as threats against him intensified, he later relocated to the United Kingdom, where he settled in Manchester and continued his media work from exile.

 

Today, Sohayb serves as a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher from Manchester, reporting on Arab communities in Britain and Europe, sharing refugee and migrant stories, and highlighting the political and economic challenges they face. With his deep expertise in analyzing the Middle East’s political and economic landscape, he continues to produce insightful content that combines sharp analysis and investigative rigor. As Sohayb states:

 

“True journalism never falls silent, even when the price is prison or a borderless exile.”