Hassan Akkad, an award-winning Syrian activist and filmmaker, was arrested by his country’s authorities on Wednesday night in central Damascus. According to the prosecutor general of the Syrian capital, Hossam Sultan Khattab, the arrest is due to the fact that Akkad is being investigated for “several complaints” under “Syrian cybercrime laws” and “legal procedures are being carried out under judicial supervision.” The news comes weeks after the activist launched the satirical campaign Give us back the money you owewhich questions the whereabouts of funds allegedly promised for humanitarian aid, reconstruction and community initiatives across Syria following the fall of the regime in 2024.
