Home / War and Conflict / German Journalist Freed After Months Captive in Syria
German Journalist Freed After Months Captive in Syria
22 Jun
Summary
- German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann was released from Syrian prison.
- She was detained in January amid military operations near Raqqa.
- Her colleague Ahmet Polad remains imprisoned and his whereabouts unclear.
A German journalist, Eva Maria Michelmann, has been released from detention in Syria, her lawyer confirmed on Monday. Michelmann, 36, was freed from a Damascus prison on Friday and arrived back in Berlin the same day.
She and her colleague, Kurdish-Turkish reporter Ahmet Polad, were detained by Syrian government forces in January. This occurred during the military takeover of Raqqa amidst operations against Syrian Democratic Forces. Michelmann's whereabouts were undisclosed until days after international pressure mounted.
Her colleague, Ahmet Polad, has not been released and his current location remains uncertain. Michelmann's lawyer is demanding Polad's immediate and unconditional release, along with unrestricted access for medical professionals, lawyers, and his family.
Michelmann, a native of Cologne, had been reporting from Syria since 2022 for the Istanbul-based Etkin News Agency ETHA and Özgür TV. German foreign ministry officials and embassy staff in Damascus and Beirut were instrumental in her release.
