The capital, Damascus, has seen a mass exodus of social media platform owners fleeing to Lebanon due to a severe crackdown by the Anti-Cybercrime Branch of the Syrian regime’s intelligence services.
Mass escape
Sources told Al-Modon that several key figures involved in street performances and pranks for digital platforms in Damascus have been spotted in Beirut after fleeing the “Anti-Cybercrime” branch’s crackdown. This recent campaign led to the arrest of around 20 individuals just days ago. Notably among the fugitives is Mahmoud al-Ar, known as “Abu Abdo,” along with an actress who starred alongside prominent content creator Shadi Qasso, and another actress known for her sexually suggestive roles on the platform “Sukar Wasat.”
Capture content creators
A week ago, the Anti-Cybercrime branch arrested well-known content creator Shadi Qasso, nicknamed “The Shadow,” despite years of regime propaganda supporting him. Qasso had recently posted a photo of his reunion with Hafez Bashar al-Assad, the son of the Syrian president, before parting ways with his former partner, Alain Kiki, who had helped launch his career. Jaafari previously facilitated connections for both Qasso and Kiki with regime intelligence, enabling them to produce politically charged content, including episodes that specifically targeted Rami Makhlouf.
In addition to Qasso, sources confirmed the arrests of Bassel al-Dimashqi, owner of the Reactation platform, and Muhammad al-Majzoub, owner of the “Leano Heik” platform, along with his partner known as “Abu Sako.” Other minor actors involved in pranks and the owners of less prominent digital platforms were also apprehended.
Political charges
Sources indicated that some of the charges against the arrested individuals include offending the values and customs of Syrian society, as well as paying girls to participate in “sketches” that portray them as real-life dumps, exploiting their financial needs. Shadi Qasso faces additional political charges due to his criticism of life in Syria within his episodes.
On Thursday, the Interior Ministry’s Facebook page announced that the Anti-Cybercrime Branch of the Criminal Security Department had identified and arrested the owners and employees of several platforms for publishing videos that insult the values and morals of Syrian society.
In August, the Ministry of Information confirmed it was collaborating with the Ministries of Interior and Justice to monitor unlicensed platforms and their operators, aiming to take legal action against them. This initiative seeks to combat derogatory content on unlicensed platforms that violate moral standards and offend the values of Syrian society.
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.
