Syrian journalist detained without explanation, held by Turkish intelligence

Beirut, August 27, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by Monday’s detention of freelance journalist Bakr al-Kassem in northern Syria and his transfer to Turkish intelligence custody, and calls for his immediate release.

“We are deeply concerned that Syrian opposition factions detained journalist Bakr al-Kassem without explanation and transferred him to Turkish intelligence custody,” said Yeganeh Rezaian, CPJ’s interim MENA program coordinator, in Washington, D.C. “Syrian groups should stop copying President Bashar al-Assad’s aggressive approach towards the media. Local authorities should immediately release al-Kassem and stop detaining journalists.”

Al-Kassem’s wife Nabiha Taha, who is also a journalist, told CPJ that the couple were detained by local military police at a checkpoint in Syria’s Al Bab city in Aleppo Governorate, which borders Turkey, as they returned by car from covering an exhibition.

Turkish troops and Ankara-backed armed opposition groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad control a large chunk of territory along the border, which Turkey regards as a “safe zone” to protect itself against Kurdish rebels.

Taha, a reporter for the local news channel Aleppo Today, said that she was released after about two hours, but her husband, who freelances for AFP news agency and Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency, was not.

CPJ was unable to determine why al-Kassem was detained.

Military officials seized the couple’s phones at the checkpoint and later searched their house, confiscating Kassem’s computer and cameras.

Reached by CPJ via messaging app for comment, Abdurrahman Mustafa, head of the Syrian interim government which administers the area, responded that he did not think al-Kassem’s detention was related to his journalistic work, but could be in connection with a criminal proceeding. “However, I assure you that if it is about freedom of the press and media it will be considered and processed as soon as possible.” Mustafa also told CPJ that the Syrian Interim Government “does not have any policy related to the arrest or detention of journalists,” and that it has “independent police agencies and judicial authorities” that operate with “high professionalism and complete independence.”

CPJ did not receive any replies to its requests for comment sent via email to Turkey’s mission to the United Nations and via text messages to Hadi Al Bahra, President of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, which includes the Syrian interim government.

Editor’s note: This report has been updated to include the response from the head of the Syrian interim government.