British Syrian activist detained in Damascus over online comments
Hassan Akkad was taken by security officers in Damascus after a cybercrime complaint tied to his criticism of journalist Mousa al-Omar.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
British Syrian activist Hassan Akkad has been detained in Damascus in a case tied to his online criticism of a Syrian journalist, according to Al Jazeera and a campaign Akkad founded. The arrest has raised fresh questions about free expression and the use of cybercrime laws in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
Akkad, who founded the Give Us the Money That You Owe! campaign, was taken into custody at about 9:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday while at a cafe in the al-Malki area of the Syrian capital, the campaign said. Al Jazeera reported that it understands Akkad remains in detention.
The campaign said the case appears linked to a legal complaint filed by Syrian journalist and presenter Mousa al-Omar over Akkad’s social media posts and public remarks. It said Akkad had been summoned by the cybersecurity branch on June 4 and later learned that other cases had also been filed against him, without being told who had brought them.
Al Jazeera said it contacted the Syrian government about the arrest but had not received a response. Public Prosecutor Judge Hossam Khattab confirmed to Al Jazeera that Akkad had been detained after a search warrant was issued, while also saying the case against him had been dropped.
Al-Omar told Al Jazeera that he had instructed his lawyer to notify police that he had withdrawn his case against Akkad. He said he was saddened by what happened and said he had used legal channels under the cybercrime law. Al-Omar also told Al Jazeera that pledged projects and cash totaling $700,000 had been paid in donations.
Akkad’s campaign monitors financial pledges connected to a public fundraising effort for Syria’s reconstruction following al-Assad’s ouster. According to Al Jazeera, Akkad had recently criticized al-Omar on social media, alleging that he had not fulfilled financial promises to rehabilitation efforts in Syria that Akkad said were worth thousands of dollars.
The campaign said Akkad stopped posting about the matter after he was summoned, saying he did so to allow the legal process to continue.
Witnesses cited by the campaign said five plainclothes security officers entered the cafe while Akkad was meeting several journalists. The witnesses said the officers first asked for Akkad’s phone and then told him he was under arrest.
Akkad’s lawyers said the circumstances of the detention raised concerns about whether legal procedures had been followed. The campaign said no legal grounds for the arrest were shown at the time he was detained.
The campaign also said the case raises wider concerns about protections for free expression because the allegations appear to stem from Akkad’s online commentary. It questioned the reported use of a cybersecurity law adopted under al-Assad, saying that reliance on such legislation appears at odds with the interim government’s stated commitments to expand free-speech protections after the previous government collapsed.
Akkad, a former English teacher and refugee in his late 30s, previously received BAFTA and International Emmy awards for documenting his journey from Turkiye to Europe after fleeing Syria’s civil war, according to Al Jazeera. He settled in the United Kingdom in 2015 and returned to Syria after years in exile following al-Assad’s departure.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.