Several Members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to step up efforts to clarify the disappearance of journalists Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmed Polad in Syria. In a letter addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, they demand concrete steps toward the Syrian transitional government.
Michelmann, a journalist and social worker from Cologne, and her Kurdish colleague Ahmed Polad were last seen on January 18 in Raqqa. At the time, they were reporting on the offensive of the Syrian transitional government against the autonomous administration. According to witness accounts, they sought shelter along with other civilians in a Kurdish youth center before being detained by Damascus-affiliated forces while leaving and taken away in a military vehicle.
Since then, there has been no trace of either of them. Even more than two months later, there is still no confirmed information about the whereabouts or condition of Michelmann and Polad. Germany’s Federal Foreign Office has so far only stated regarding the Cologne-based journalist that it is “intensively working to clarify” the case, without providing further details.
A “test case” for Europe’s commitment
In their letter, the signatory MEPs describe the case as going beyond the two missing individuals. “This case is not only of the utmost importance for those directly affected, but also has far-reaching implications for press freedom, the protection of journalists in war zones, and the development of the Syrian state, with which European countries are currently establishing relations.”
The letter continues: “This case is a test of Europe’s commitment to press freedom and human rights. The European Union must act with urgency, consistency, and determination to protect those who have risked their lives to report first-hand on developments in Syria. The credibility of the EU is at stake—as are human lives.”
“Immediate clarification required”
Specifically, the MEPs call on the European Commission to demand “immediate clarification of the fate” of Michelmann and Polad from the Syrian authorities and to secure their release. They also call for transparent information on thousands of other missing persons in Raqqa. According to estimates by the Kurdish women’s movement Kongra Star, up to 4,000 people may have been abducted during the offensive against the autonomous administration in northeast Syria. Furthermore, the parliamentarians demand access for the International Committee of the Red Cross and human rights organizations to those being held.
Criticism from families
The case of Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmed Polad has also drawn criticism from their families. Michelmann’s family questions how it is possible that a German citizen is allegedly being held by Syrian government units without reliable information about her whereabouts—despite diplomatic contacts between the EU, its member states, and the Syrian transitional government. Michelmann had been living in Rojava for four years and worked for Kurdish media as well as the Turkish news agency ETHA. Her last published report appeared on January 15 and covered a demonstration in Hesekê.
List of signatories
It remains to be seen how and whether the European Commission will respond to the MEPs’ demands, which are now likely to receive increased political attention. The letter was signed by Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, Germany), Özlem Alev Demirel (The Left, Germany), Rudi Kennes (The Left, Belgium), Francisco Assis (S&D, Portugal), Martin Schirdewan (The Left, Germany), Damien Carême (The Left, France), Isabel Serra Sánchez (The Left, Spain), Per Clausen (The Left, Denmark), Leoluca Orlando (Greens/EFA, Italy), Jaume Asens Llodrà (Greens/EFA, Spain), Andreas Schieder (S&D, Austria), Mounir Satouri (Greens/EFA, France), Pernando Barrena Arza (The Left, Spain), Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA, Austria), Leila Chaibi (The Left, France), Danilo Della Valle (The Left, Italy), Catarina Martins (The Left, Portugal), Costas Mavrides (S&D, Cyprus), and Rima Hassan (The Left, France).