German journalist detained in Syria back home, lawyer says
Eva Maria Michelmann, a German journalist who went missing in Syria earlier this year, returned to Germany on Friday, her lawyer confirmed.
German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann, who went missing earlier this year while reporting on the aftermath of Syria's civil war, returned to Germany on Friday, her lawyer Roland Meister told AFP. Meister confirmed that Michelmann was released in the morning and arrived in Germany in the afternoon.
Her brother Antonius Michelmann later told dpa that the family "went to collect her" and she returned via Jordan. He said she is doing well under the circumstances, though she had been held in solitary confinement for an extended period. He did not provide further details.
Michelmann disappeared in January during an offensive by Syrian government forces against Kurdish fighters in the northeast. Her colleague, Turkish-Kurdish journalist Ahmed Polad, disappeared at the same time and his whereabouts remain unknown, according to Antonius Michelmann.
Both journalists worked for the Istanbul-based socialist Etkin News Agency (ETHA) and Ozgur TV channel, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The German Foreign Ministry said last week it was working at a high level to secure her release. It remains unclear why the journalist from Cologne was detained or if she faced any charges.
The West has largely welcomed Syria's new government under former Islamist militant leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, but minorities, including Kurds, have voiced concerns about the Sunni regime that toppled Bashar Assad in December 2024.
