German journalist vanishes in Syria as family demands answers from Berlin
A German journalist has been missing in Syria for over two months after being detained in Raqqa. Eva Maria Michelmann, who worked for Kurdish media, was last seen on 18 January alongside her colleague Ahmed Polad. Family members and politicians are now demanding answers from the German government about her whereabouts. Michelmann and Polad were documenting attacks on Kurdish self-administration before their disappearance. Witnesses reported their detention on 18 January 2026, with video footage later showing HTS militias making arrests in Syrian Interior Ministry vehicles at the same time and location.
Around 30 protesters gathered outside Germany's Foreign Ministry in Berlin last week, calling for action. The journalist's brother, Antonius Michelmann, criticised the lack of progress after more than 60 days without answers. The family's lawyer, Roland Meister, also accused the Foreign Ministry of failing to provide concrete details, despite being formally involved for nearly 20 days.
Left-wing MPs Bodo Ramelow and Cansu Özdemir have since urged Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul to launch a full investigation. The ministry acknowledged the case but refused to share further information, citing privacy concerns. The journalist's family continues to push for clarity on her disappearance and accountability from Syrian authorities. German officials have yet to confirm any new developments in the search. Meanwhile, the video evidence linking HTS militias to the arrest remains under scrutiny.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
