Former Syrian Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun Arrested at Damascus Airport

Syrian security forces have arrested former Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun at Damascus International Airport, according to the Syrian Human Rights Watch. Reports indicate that he was taken into custody and transferred to an undisclosed location.

Sources reveal that Sheikh Hassoun had completed immigration procedures, and his passport had been stamped for departure when security personnel intervened and detained him. Images circulating on social media show the former Grand Mufti blindfolded during the arrest.

Sheikh Hassoun was traveling to Jordan for medical treatment, where he was scheduled to undergo surgery. However, Al-Mayadeen News reported that Syrian authorities had previously assured there were no restrictions on his travel.

Additionally, local sources disclosed that security forces forcibly entered Sheikh Hassoun’s residence in Aleppo, seized the property, and denied his family permission to take their personal belongings.

This arrest raises serious concerns about human rights and political repression in Syria, marking another instance of intensified actions against former government officials.