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Basel Hafez Arrested at Damascus Airport Over Facebook Posts
Syrian-British national Basel Hafez was arrested by Syrian authorities after arriving at Damascus International Airport. He was subsequently referred to the Cybercrime Department affiliated with the Ministry of Interior, according to informed sources who spoke to *Al-Dalil*.
The sources said Hafez’s arrest came after several individuals filed personal complaints against him over posts he had previously published on his Facebook page.
According to the sources, the complainants accused Hafez of using language deemed insulting and degrading toward broad segments of Syrian society, particularly displaced people and residents of refugee camps. They also accused him of insulting figures associated with the Syrian revolution, including the late singer and activist Abdul Basit al-Sarout.
Images of old posts attributed to Hafez have circulated on social media. The posts reportedly included criticism and offensive remarks directed at Syrian factions and public figures. However, official authorities have not yet announced the precise charges against him or the legal provisions underpinning his detention.
Hafez remains in custody pending investigation, amid a lack of information about the duration of his detention or when he will be brought before the judiciary.
Hafez holds both Syrian and British citizenship and is known for his strongly critical views of the transitional government in Damascus. The allegations against him remain under investigation pending an official statement or judicial decision clarifying the circumstances of the case.
