Syria's transitional authorities are facing mounting popular pressure on multiple fronts, as the initial “honeymoon period” that followed the fall of the Assad regime gives way to demands for economic justice and accountability. The five-day detention of Syrian-British activist Hassan Akkad sparked a wave of local and international outcry. Simultaneous labour strikes at two major industrial facilities in Rural Damascus also highlighted deepening economic grievances. In addition, the lynching of a former regime informant in Idlib laid bare the consequences of stalled transitional justice.
