Syrian refugee stranded in airport for 7 months arrested by Malaysian authorities

A Syrian man who had been living in the transit area of Kuala Lumpur airport since March has been arrested by Malaysian authorities.

Hassan Al Kontar, 36, became stranded in the airport when he was turnedaway from a Turkish Airlines flight in March,causing him to overstay his Malaysian visa.

Since then, a group of Canadians in Whistler B.C.,has been trying to sponsor his application to come to Canada, and publicly lobbying AhmedHussen, Canada's minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship.

AlKontar, who is fromDama, Syria, worked as an insurance marketing manager in the United Arab Emirates from 2006 to2017. He was arrested on Monday, Malaysia's New StraitsTimes newspaper reported.

He eventually lost his work permit after the Syrian conflict broke outand was left scrambling to find a country that would issue him a visa so he would not have to return to Syria.

• Whistlergroup fights to bring Syrian man stranded in Malaysian airport to Canada

In an email to CBCNews, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Charlie Yaxleysaid the agency is aware of Hassan's arrest and is in communication with Malaysian authorities.

"[We] have reiterated to them the need to respect relevant international laws, particularly on the principle of non-refoulement (forcibly returning a refugee/asylum-seeker to their country of origin)," he said.

Malaysia is not a signatory to the United Nations' 1951Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

Malaysian immigration chief Mustafar Ali told local mediathat Al Kontar's social media had "shamed" Malaysia, and that he was arrested for being in a restricted area without a boarding pass.

In April, Al Kontartold CBC News he couldn't return to Syria because he's wanted for military serviceand fears he'll be arrested upon landing. He's alsoDruze, a minority religious group in Syria that has been targeted by extremist groups.

• Surviving the terminal: one former airport dweller's advice to a fellow Syrian stuck in transit

Tweeting the terminal

Since he became stranded in the airport, Al Kontardocumented his existence sometimes humorously, sometimes despairinglyina long airport hallway, marked by rows of chairs and two bathrooms.

He ate three airline mealsa day, and would occasionally manage to givecleaning staff moneyto bring him a cup of coffee or food from McDonald's.

His Twitter feed, which amassed thousands of followers, documented him trying to perform tasks like giving himself a haircut, working out, knitting a scarfand tending to plants. In one of his last posts before his arrest, Al Kontarwrote about seeing the sun for the first time in awhile.

In 2014, the Canadian government intervened to bring 21-year-old Syrian refugeeMajdAghato Canada.

Like Al Kontar, Agha became trapped in Thailand's Phuket airport for months after being turned away from a flight.

Malaysian authorities and Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada did not immediately respond to CBC's request for comment.