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"Abaq Volunteer Team" Confirm They Were Not Detained... and Deny Rumors of Members' Arrest
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The incident calls for the need to promote concepts of tolerance and pluralism within a system that protects civil peace and ensures accountability and transparency
Recent photos of volunteers from the "Abaq" team, which sparked wide controversy in recent days, have spread on social media platforms, refuting circulating rumors about their detention over the controversial "Iftar for fasting" campaign, in a development that highlights the absence of institutional accountability mechanisms in Syrian regions.
The circulating photo shows a number of members of the volunteer team in rural Aleppo gathered in a public place, while the publisher of the photo wrote a sarcastic comment: "They said we were arrested" accompanied by the hashtag "returning" with a laughing emoji, reflecting the continuing state of controversy about practices that threaten civil peace.
The "Abaq" volunteer team had ignited a wave of widespread discontent in Syria following its organization of the "Iftar for fasting" campaign, where statements of a sectarian and inciting nature appeared on the covers of the distributed meals, in behavior that contradicts the principles of equal citizenship.
According to a video circulated through the team's official Facebook page, team volunteers appeared while distributing iftar meals to passersby, while the covers of these meals carried offensive statements of a sectarian nature.
A number of activists warned that this behavior fuels hate speech and incites violence, calling for the team responsible for the campaign to be held accountable and for legal measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such practices that threaten the social fabric.
Following the wave of harsh criticism that the video attracted, the "Abaq" team took the initiative to remove the footage, in an attempt to reduce the severity of the crisis.
Activists urged the establishment of an investigation committee to follow up on the case, emphasizing the necessity of suspending the team's activity until the completion of investigations and the application of legal procedures against those responsible, which reflects the need for effective regulatory institutions that protect diversity and prevent incitement.
The "Abaq" volunteer team issued an apology statement in which it acknowledged taking full responsibility for the mistake, confirming that its intention was not to provoke sedition or incitement.
