Syrian-British online activist says released days after arrest

Syrian-British online activist says released days after arrest

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AFP June 22, 2026 Less than a minute read

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DAMASCUS:

Syrian-British activist Hassan Akkad announced on Sunday that he had been released, days after his campaign group said Syrian authorities had arrested him in apparent connection to his online activities.

"I'm back home safe and sound. My heartfelt gratitude goes to everyone who supported me and my family during this period. More soon," he wrote on Instagram, where he has more than 200,000 followers.

Akkad, who was detained for a time at the outset of the country's civil war in 2011, had been urging influential figures to honour donation pledges to a public development fund established after the December 2024 toppling of Bashar al-Assad.

Akkad's arrest had sparked criticism, recalling for some the practices of the former government.

Two of his close friends had told AFP that he was arrested at a cafe while they were watching football together.

The "Give Us the Money You Owe" campaign, which Akkad launched two months ago, had issued a statement after his arrest saying "the allegations appear to be connected to Hassan's public statements and online activity". AFP