DAMASCUS — Hassan Akkad was arrested in Damascus on Wednesday evening at approximately 9:45pm local time (18:45 GMT). Witnesses reported that five plainclothes security officers arrested Akkad at a cafe in the al-Malki neighborhood while he was meeting with several journalists. Public Prosecutor Judge Hossam Khattab confirmed that Akkad was detained due to a search warrant issued following a complaint filed by Syrian journalist and presenter Mousa al-Omar. Khattab later stated that the case against Akkad was dropped.

Akkad, a human rights activist, remains in detention and is facing multiple legal cases. He was previously summoned by the cybersecurity branch on June 4. Akkad is the founder of the 'Give Us the Money That You Owe!' campaign and has posted social media content calling on wealthy businessmen to fulfill financial pledges made to help rebuild Syria.

Celine Kasem, an activist, stated that the officers failed to provide identification, an arrest warrant, or documentation proving they could legally detain Akkad. "Hassan was taken into custody. Today, his lawyers are with him as he faces multiple legal cases. The fact that we are still operating under the same legal framework inherited from the Assad regime is deeply disappointing," Kasem said. She added, "It is unfair to the sacrifices made during our revolution and to the people who suffered under these laws and regulations. We all know that drafting a new constitution and reforming an entire legal system takes time. But until then, the law should not be abused."