German journalist held in Syria back home, family says

A German journalist who was detained in Syria has been released, her family has confirmed.

Eva Maria Michelmann’s brother told the dpa news agency she had arrived from Jordan on Friday, after being held since her arrest in the Syrian city of Raqqa on January 18.

He said she was doing well given the circumstances, but had spent an extended period in solitary confinement.

The Syrian Ministry of Information had previously said the journalist, who is from Cologne, was arrested on January 18 in the city of Raqqa during a military operation.

A Kurdish journalist, Ahmed Polad, who is a Turkish citizen, was also arrested at the time. There is still no trace of this colleague, Antonius Michelmann said.

Her family said Eva Maria Michelmann had been working in Syria as a freelance journalist since 2002.

Last month, the Syrian Information Ministry said Michelmann was arrested in January during a raid on a building belonging to a group linked to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

It was reported at the time that after fighters had barricaded themselves inside, everyone present was arrested. Two foreign nationals were also arrested during the operation, a ministry statement said.

The SDF had governed Raqqa city and the majority of the surrounding province while it was administered by the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria between 2017 and January 2026, when power was handed over to Syrian government forces led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

According to the Information Ministry at the time, Michelmann initially claimed to be a Spanish national working for an organisation affiliated with the United Nations. An enquiry made to the UN, however, revealed that no staff members were missing in the area.

During the investigation, it was established that she was a German journalist, the ministry said, adding that she and her companion had attempted to escape from custody.

German media outlet Der Spiegel said the German embassy in Damascus had provided Michelmann with consular assistance and, together with the embassy in Beirut, had lobbied the Syrian government for her release.