The Ministry of Finance in the Syrian regime government has seized both movable and immovable assets of the Watan Network within Syria, in exchange for securing over $336,000.
Per the ministry’s directive, the provisional seizure has been imposed on the movable and immovable assets of the US-based company Watan Network, under the representation of its general manager, Muhammad Basil Khair (born in Damascus in 1982), and its executive director, Iyad Ahmed (born in Damascus in 1969), who originates from Salamiya in the countryside of Hama.
The ministry’s decision indicates that the precautionary seizure of the company’s assets is aimed at recovering $336,383, with no specification regarding the source of these funds or their intended recipient. However, the seizure follows a letter from the Syrian Ministry of Information on January 16, with the decision being dated the following day.
According to accounts aligned with the regime, the seizure stems from allegations that Watan Network illicitly utilized the Syrian TV archive for personal gain, withholding revenues for personal accounts. However, questions arise regarding the feasibility of “stealing” an archive.
Pretrial detention remains temporary until the resolution of the case or the potential reversal of the seizure is based on the fine’s value.
Social media accounts suggest that Muhammad Basil Khair, residing in the United States, accessed the Syrian television archive through a partnership involving Asma al-Assad, the wife of the Syrian President, in exchange for a share of profits. However, the outcome of this arrangement remains undisclosed, as the network has continued broadcasting the Syrian series via its official channels for years.
Several years ago, the network launched a YouTube channel featuring 500 series from the Middle East and North Africa, with over half of them being Syrian dramas and classic series.
Operating from the United States, the Syrian Watan network collaborates with YouTube as a multi-channel partner, providing it with technical advantages for financial returns, promotion, and equipment utilization, according to its general manager, Muhammad Bassel Khair.
In a previous interview with an Arab newspaper, Khair stated that his company “contracts with technical production companies to safeguard and manage their products through social media,” boasting a team of highly experienced employees.
Khair gained public attention through social media platforms after his wife, the Syrian “blogger” Lama al-Aseel, residing in the United States, posted a video expressing distress over his marriage to a second wife after their twelve-year union, demanding a share of his wealth. Khair had previously appeared in his wife’s social media videos.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
