What happened when one man stood against Assad’s regime?
MILTON KEYNES, UK, July 25, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — In an era when whistleblowers are often punished and truth-seekers are silenced, one man’s story cuts through the noise with extraordinary clarity and courage. Beneath the Regime, Beyond the Fear, authored by Naser and written by Andrea D. Woolhead, is a timely and deeply moving memoir about the price of conscience in the shadow of authoritarian power—and the journey toward freedom that follows.
Naser, a former Major General in Syria’s notorious Political Security Department, once stood at the heart of Bashar al-Assad’s inner system. But when faced with crimes he could no longer ignore, he made the unthinkable decision: to speak out. That decision led to his arrest and months of solitary confinement, but the suffering continued for years, as he remained a target and endured deep rejection, even in exile.
“I served the regime. I was trusted. But I knew what we were doing… was wrong,” writes Naser in the memoir. What began as loyalty to his country transformed into a battle for his soul—a transformation captured with sensitivity, precision, and emotional power by ghostwriter Andrea D. Woolhead.
Spanning his childhood under Hafez al-Assad’s rule, the Arab Spring uprisings, his harrowing imprisonment, and his ultimate exile and resettlement in the UK, Naser’s story is a rare window into the inner workings of a regime known for silencing dissent at all costs. Through evocative prose and haunting honesty, Beneath the Regime, Beyond the Fear lays bare the moral dilemma faced by thousands inside repressive systems: What happens when duty collides with decency?
Andrea D. Woolhead, founder of Boldface Editing Ltd. and based in Milton Keynes, brings Naser’s voice to life with authenticity and emotional depth. “This is more than a refugee story,” Woolhead says. “It’s a story about moral courage—about choosing the harder road, and walking it alone.”
Set against the backdrop of international indifference, global migration crises, and the long tail of postcolonial influence in the Middle East, the book challenges readers to consider their own position: What would you do if your beliefs conflicted with your government?
Naser Naser is a former Syrian Major General who sought asylum in the UK after defying Assad’s regime. He now lives in exile, determined to raise awareness of the systemic abuses he once witnessed from within.
Andrea D. Woolhead is a writer, editor, and founder of Boldface Editing Ltd. Her work focuses on helping people shape complex, personal stories into powerful narratives for publication.
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