Family in Damascus sells belongings to secure $800,000 ransom for kidnapped son

The family of a kidnapped young man in Damascus is putting its belongings up for sale to secure an $800,000 ransom, amid his continued detention since March and the rising wave of kidnapping-for-ransom crimes.

Family in Damascus sells belongings to secure $800,000 ransom for kidnapped son
26 May, 2026   12:57
NEWSDESK 

The family of the kidnapped young man, Joseph Milad Zeno, is trying to sell their house, shop, and all their possessions in the Dummar area to raise the $800,000 demanded for his release.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the family has been subjected to ongoing demands from the kidnappers, who sent video recordings showing the young man being tortured since his abduction on March 13.

Zeno suffers from a hearing disability and is a university student, amid growing concerns over his health and humanitarian condition in the absence of any information about his whereabouts or the identity of the kidnappers.

The incident highlights the increasing number of kidnapping-for-ransom crimes in Damascus, amid criticism of weak security measures and the inability to curb the phenomenon.

A-H

ANHA