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Syrian-British Citizen Detained at Damascus Airport over Social Media Comment
Syrian-British citizen Mohammad Basel Hafez has remained in detention since September 11, after arriving in Syria through Damascus International Airport using his British passport.
According to available information, Hafez was detained in connection with an online complaint related to a comment he had posted on a social media platform. The content of the comment and the identity of the party that filed the complaint have not been disclosed.
Hafez was reportedly detained at the airport before being referred to the Cybercrime Branch in Damascus for questioning and legal proceedings. Information indicates that he remains held at the Justice Palace detention facility, amid a lack of clarity regarding his legal status, the charges against him, or when his case might be resolved.
More than two weeks after his detention, there have been no confirmed reports of his release or of a decision in his case. The circumstances surrounding his continued detention and the measures taken against him also remain undisclosed. Individuals following the case have reportedly been reluctant to discuss it publicly, fearing that doing so could negatively affect his situation or increase the risks he may face inside Syria.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has called for the authorities to disclose Hafez’s whereabouts, clarify his legal status and the charges against him, and allow him access to legal representation while guaranteeing his rights throughout the investigation and any subsequent proceedings.
The observatory also reiterated the need to protect freedom of opinion and expression and to ensure that social media posts and comments are not used as a pretext for security-related prosecution. It stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and preventing a repetition of the violations Syrians experienced under the previous government.
