Former Syrian Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun Arrested
March 27, 2025, 3:16 pm

Former Syrian Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun Arrested

اعتقال مفتي سوريا السابق أحمد بدر الدين حسون

Syrian media reported the arrest of Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, the former Grand Mufti of Syria, known by the nickname "Mufti of the Barrages," due to his supportive stance towards the brutal repression policies against protests that erupted in 2011.

Social media pages circulated a photo alleged to be of the former mufti with his eyes bandaged, raising questions about the circumstances of his arrest. Reports indicated that Hassoun was detained at Damascus International Airport before leaving the country, following the issuance of an arrest warrant from the prosecutor general in the Syrian Ministry of Justice.

According to the Syrian newspaper "Al-Watan," security forces arrested Hassoun from the VIP lounge at the airport without clarifying the reasons. The newspaper noted that Hassoun had requested to leave the country for Jordan to undergo an urgent surgical operation, and the Syrian authorities had approved his request, sending two cars to escort him to the airport along with his children and wife.

However, just minutes after his arrival at the airport, security personnel intervened and arrested Hassoun, while ensuring the safety of his family members. As of now, the Syrian Ministry of Interior has not issued an official confirmation regarding Hassoun's arrest or the reasons behind it.

After the fall of the Assad regime, rumors and reports circulated about Hassoun fleeing, especially after images of him appeared in Strasbourg, France. However, it was confirmed that these images were from 2007.

Hassoun, who held the position of Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic from 2005 until 2021, was known for his strong support of the Assad regime, which brought him widespread criticism due to his positions regarding the tragic events that Syria has witnessed over the past years.

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