Salim Hamdani, one of the few Jews still living in Syria, was recently arrested by the regime of President Ahmad al‑Shar’a, according to a Kan News report on Tuesday morning.

Hamdani owns a shop in the Old City of Damascus, and according to Syrian sources familiar with the details, the official reason for the arrest is “illegal antiquities trading.”

These sources hastened to clarify that Hamdani “was not arrested because of his religion, but because he broke the law.”

Behind-the-scenes efforts are being made to secure his release.