Edward Marchesi Hassan Akkad, a activist e filmmaker A Syrian-British man, he was released after four days in detention in Damascus. His detention was linked to a complaint filed by Mousa al-Omar, a prominent Syrian journalist, over criticism he expressed on social media.
Akkad is the founder of the campaign Give Us the Money That You Owe!which monitors financial promises made by public figures for the reconstruction of Syria.
His detention took place on June 4, when he was taken from a cafe in the al-Maliki neighborhood of Damascus.
Mousa al-Omar's complaint
Akkad's detention was triggered by a complaint filed by Mousa al-Omar, a Syrian journalist and presenter. Al-Omar accused Akkad of criticizing him on social media for failing to fulfill his financial promises during a fundraising campaign for Syria's reconstruction.
Il Public Prosecutor Hossam Khattab confirmed that Akkad was detained due to a warrant issued against him for failing to appear at the Cybercrime Control Division In relation to al-Omar's complaint, Khattab also mentioned other complaints against Akkad for defamation and slander.
Withdrawal of the complaint
Akkad's release came after al-Omar withdrew the complaint against him.
Al-Omar said that all he had promised, for a total of $700.000 in projects and money, had been paid in donations.
In a post on X, al-Omar wrote: My legal representative withdrew the right and the lawsuit against my brother Hassan this morning and forgave him for the love of Almighty God. I was saddened by what he had done to himself, and I wish him success in his social media activities and will always be his supporter.
The journey of Hassan Akkad
Akkad, who is also a filmmaker, has been imprisoned twice by the regime of Bashar al-Assad for documenting anti-government protests in 2011. After fleeing Syria, he lived in the Middle East before embarking on a journey of 87 days across Europe to reach the United Kingdom in.
His journey was documented in the television series Exodus: Our Journey to Europewho won an award BAFTA.
The 'Give Us the Money That You Owe!' campaign
Akkad's campaign aims to track financial pledges made by public figures during fundraising for Syria's reconstruction. The campaign has had a significant impact, with some videos reaching over a million views.
Among those Akkad criticized were brothers Ahmad and Amre Hamcho, who promised $1 million to the Syrian Development Fund for reconstruction efforts. However, the promise is still awaiting confirmation.
The campaign also brought concrete results, with approximately $316.000 in promises of reconstruction kept since it began.
Hassan Akkad's story is an example of resilience and courage, demonstrating the importance of freedom of expression and public accountability.
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