Down To Earth: From Astronaut To Refugee - Muhammed Faris and Jamal Abozaid

Lauded a national hero upon his return, Faris was awarded the highest distinctions in the Soviet Union: Hero of the Soviet Union and The Order of Lenin. Despite this, he remained unpopular with the then head of the Syrian regime, Hafez Assad; surviving two assassination attempts while training in Moscow ahead of his spaceflight. Here, Faris shares his thrilling story; a successful cosmonaut entrapped in an era of corruption and tyranny, forced to abandon his home, consequently becoming a refugee. He describes in vivid detail his clash with the regime, his sharp rise to fame and the struggles of life in Assad's Syria.