British Syrian activist Hassan Akkad has been detained by security forces in Damascus following a legal complaint. Reports indicate the case relates to his social media comments about a prominent Syrian journalist. However, Syrian authorities have not publicly explained the reasons for his continued detention.
Complaint Linked to Online Comments
Akkad was taken into custody on Wednesday evening while visiting a café in Damascus’s al-Malki neighbourhood. His campaign said journalist Mousa al-Omar filed a complaint over Akkad’s online posts. Earlier, authorities had summoned Akkad to the cybersecurity branch on June 4.
The campaign also claimed additional legal cases were filed against the activist. However, officials reportedly did not identify the other complainants. Meanwhile, Akkad suspended his online activity to allow legal proceedings to continue.
Case Sparks Public Attention
The campaign monitors financial pledges made for Syria’s reconstruction following Bashar al-Assad’s removal from power. Akkad had recently criticised al-Omar over alleged unfulfilled financial commitments to reconstruction efforts. In response, al-Omar denied the allegations and said all promised donations had been delivered.
Public Prosecutor Judge Hossam Khattab confirmed a search warrant led to Akkad’s detention. However, he also stated that the original case against the activist had been dropped.
Furthermore, al-Omar said he instructed his lawyer to withdraw the complaint. He added that he regretted Akkad’s detention despite pursuing legal action under Syria’s cybercrime law.
Meanwhile, Akkad reportedly remains in custody as authorities continue handling the remaining legal matters.
