Lebanese State Security, one of Lebanon's four main intelligence and security agencies, summoned Al-Houlani for interrogation to their offices in the northeastern city of Hermel, 144 kilometers (89.4 miles) northeast of Beirut, upon his return from Syria on November 21 and has since held him there without informing him of any charges against him, according to his employer, the Syrian Journalists Association, and news reports.

Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud, editor-in-chief of Zaman al-Wasl, told CPJ that the summons to Al-Houlani followed the publication of an article with his byline dated November 18, 2018, saying that 20 pregnant Syrian refugee women living in Arsal had miscarried after drinking polluted water that allegedly carried a deadly virus.