Hassan Akkad was arrested on what the state claims were defamation complaints. Getty Images
Hassan Akkad was arrested on what the state claims were defamation complaints. Getty Images
Mr Akkad started campaign for wealthy people to be held accountable for pledges to reconstruct Syria
Prominent Syrian content creator and activist Hassan Akkad was arrested in Damascus on Wednesday, Syria's state television reported.
The public prosecutor said the government cybersecurity team had received complaints against Mr Akkad alleging “online defamation, insult and slander”.
“He was therefore held at the criminal investigation branch until his statement was recorded until the initial investigations could be presented to court in due process.”
Mr Akkad had started a campaign called “pay back the money you owe” – a call for wealthy businessmen to make good on donations they had pledged for reconstruction work in Syria.
A statement from this campaign said he was arrested on Wednesday at a coffee shop in the Al Maliki neighbourhood of Damascus. He was with other journalists when five security officers entered the cafe, it said.
“All officers were in plain clothes, two were masked and some were carrying rifles.”
The statement said Mr Akkad and his lawyers had not been informed of outstanding warrants or summonses. “No legal bases for arrest on June 17 was presented at the time of his detention,” the statement added.
Mr Akkad has been detained before, under the regime of Bashar Al Assad .
Human rights activist Celine Kasem said she was with Mr Akkad when he was arrested.
“The fact that we are still operating under the same legal framework inherited from the Assad regime is deeply disappointing,” she wrote on X.
Ms Kasem said accountability should be directed at people accused of war crimes and corruption, “not toward people who are trying to hold them accountable”.
Updated:
June 19, 2026, 9:35 AM
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