CPJ urges Syria to clarify fate of detained German, Kurdish journalists
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Monday called on Syrian authorities to provide immediate and transparent information about the detention of German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann and to clarify the whereabouts of Kurdish-Turkish journalist Ahmed Polad, amid reports they are being held in Syrian government facilities.
CPJ said Michelmann’s family and the German government have confirmed she is in Syrian custody, despite officials telling the organization they had no knowledge of her detention. The two journalists worked for Istanbul-based Etkin News Agency (ETHA) and Özgür TV, which operates across several European cities.
They were last seen on Jan. 18, 2026, when witnesses reported they were forced into a Syrian government vehicle during the takeover of Raqqa amid military operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
According to Michelmann’s lawyer, Roland Meister, a representative of the German government visited her at a detention facility in Damascus on April 23, months after her family had no information about her fate.
A source from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office told CPJ that “following intensive and high-level efforts through various channels, we gained direct access to Ms. Michelmann last Thursday and will now continue to provide her with consular assistance.”
Authorities have reportedly initiated criminal proceedings, but the legal basis, charges, and responsible authority remain unclear.
Meister and Avin Ibrahim, co-chair of the Free Media Union in northeast Syria, said they received information that Polad is being held in a detention facility in the northwestern city of Aleppo. A released SDF fighter said he shared a cell with Polad, who had been injured and received medical treatment but was last seen in stable condition.
“The Syrian government’s lack of transparency regarding the detention and whereabouts of journalists Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmed Polad is unacceptable and raises serious concerns about press freedom in Syria,” said Joud Hasan, CPJ’s Levant Program Coordinator. “Authorities must immediately clarify their legal status, ensure their safety, and grant them access to legal counsel and family members.”
CPJ noted that it contacted officials at the Ministry of Information and the Aleppo governor’s office, who said they had no information about the case. The organization also emailed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and reached out to the Ministry of Interior, but had not received a response at the time of publication.