Syria frees activist Hassan Akkad days after he was detained

His merchandise comes aft writer Mousa al-Omar dropped a ailment implicit online criticism.

British Syrian activist Hassan Akkad has been released from a situation successful Damascus aft 4 days detention for alleged disapproval of nationalist figures.

Akkad was taken into custody from a cafe successful the al-Maliki neighbourhood of Damascus connected Wednesday astatine astir 9:45pm section clip (18:45 GMT), a connection by his organisation said connected Friday.

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Akkad is the laminitis of the “Give Us the Money That You Owe!” campaign, which tracks ample fiscal commitments made by nationalist figures during a donation thrust to money Syria’s reconstruction.

His detention followed a ineligible ailment filed by Syrian writer and presenter Mousa al-Omar successful narration to “Hassan’s societal media activities and nationalist comments” aft Akkad criticised al-Omar for allegedly failing to present connected his fiscal pledges during the donations campaign.

Public Prosecutor Judge Hossam Khattab confirmed past week that Akkad had been detained owed to warrants issued against him for failing to contiguous himself to the Cybercrime Control Division successful narration to al-Omar’s complaint. Khattab besides said different plaintiffs had filed cases against Akkad for slander and defamation.

British Syrian activistic Hassan Akkad embraces a protagonist aft his merchandise from detention, successful an representation provided by his “Give Us the Money That You Owe!” run [Handout/Al Jazeera]

The activist’s merchandise connected Sunday came aft al-Omar told Al Jazeera that helium had instructed his lawyer to retreat the ailment against Akkad, and said that everything pledged to the run had been paid.

On Sunday, al-Omar again posted connected X that helium had withdrawn the ailment against Akkad.

“My ineligible typical dropped the close and the suit against my member Hassan this greeting and pardoned him for the involvement of Almighty God … I was saddened by what helium brought upon himself, and I privation him occurrence successful his societal media activities and I volition ever beryllium a protagonist of him,” helium wrote successful Arabic.

Akkad, who is besides a filmmaker, was imprisoned doubly by President Bashar al-Assad’s authorities for documenting anti-government protests successful 2011.

After fleeing Syria, helium stayed successful the Middle East earlier making an 87-day travel crossed Europe to scope the UK successful September 2015.

Video of his gruelling travel was included successful the documentary series, Exodus: Our Journey to Europe, which went connected to triumph a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award.