Syrian activist Hassan Akkad detained in Damascus

Syrian writer Mousa al-Omar reportedly filed a ailment astir Akkad’s societal media comments anterior to his arrest.

British Syrian activistic Hassan Akkad has been detained by information forces successful Damascus, successful an alleged effect to his online comments criticising a salient journalist.

Akkad, laminitis of the Give Us the Money That You Owe! campaign, was taken into custody connected Wednesday astatine astir 9:45pm section clip (18:45 GMT) portion astatine a cafe successful the capital’s al-Malki neighbourhood, the connection said.

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His detention appears to beryllium related to a ineligible ailment filed by Syrian writer and presenter Mousa al-Omar successful narration to “Hassan’s societal media activities and nationalist comments”, the run reported.

It added that helium was summoned by the cybersecurity subdivision connected June 4. Al Jazeera understands that Akkad is inactive detained.

“He aboriginal became alert that further cases had besides been filed against him, though helium was not informed of the identities of the complainants,” the run said.

Al Jazeera reached retired to the Syrian authorities regarding helium lawsuit but has yet to person a effect regarding the activist’s arrest.
Public Prosecutor Judge Hossam Khattab confirmed that Akkad had been detained owed to a hunt warrant being issued for him, but that the lawsuit against him had been dropped.

Al-Omar told Al Jazeera that helium had instructed his lawyer to archer the constabulary that helium had dropped the lawsuit against Akkad and said helium was “saddened” by what had happened.

“I americium atrocious for what happened to Hassan arsenic a effect of his mistakes; I followed the ineligible way nether the cybercrime law… Everything I pledged, amounting to $700,000 successful projects and cash, was paid successful the donations,” helium said.

Akkad’s run tracks fiscal commitments related to a nationalist thrust for donations to money Syria’s reconstruction since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

The activistic reportedly criticised al-Omar connected societal media successful caller weeks for allegedly failing to present connected his fiscal pledges to the country’s rehabilitation efforts, pledges helium claimed were worthy thousands of dollars.

The run said aft Akkad was summoned, helium paused his online activities related to the case, to “allow the probe and ineligible process to proceed”.

Akkad, a exile and erstwhile English teacher successful his precocious 30s, antecedently won BAFTA and International Emmy awards for documenting his travel from Turkiye to Europe aft fleeing the Syrian civilian warfare that began successful 2011, during which helium was arrested by the al-Assad’s authorities.

He yet settled successful the United Kingdom successful 2015, returning to Syria aft years successful exile erstwhile al-Assad fled the country.

According to witnesser accounts cited successful the statement, 5 plainclothes information officers entered the java store wherever Akkad was gathering with respective journalists.

Witnesses said the officers initially requested Akkad’s mobile telephone earlier informing him that helium was being arrested.

His lawyers said the apprehension raises questions astir whether authorities followed established ineligible procedures.

“No ineligible ground for the apprehension … was presented astatine the clip of his detention,” the connection said,

It added that since the allegations look to beryllium related to his online commentary, the apprehension raises “broader concerns regarding the extortion of state of expression”.

The connection further questioned the reported usage of a cybersecurity instrumentality enacted during the regularisation of al-Assad, arguing that reliance connected specified authorities “appears inconsistent with the interim government’s commitments to grow protections for state of look pursuing the illness of the erstwhile regime”.