Disappearance of German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann and Kurdish journalist Ahmed Polad in Raqqa, Syria, and the EU’s efforts

Question for written answer E-001245/2026
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Per Clausen (The Left), Hanna Gedin (The Left), Jonas Sjöstedt (The Left)

Two journalists have been missing since the city of Raqqa was captured by the forces of the Syrian transitional government on 18 January 2026[1], and it is feared that they have been forcibly 'disappeared'. The two disappeared journalists are German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann (who was working for ETHA) and Kurdish journalist Ahmet Polad (who was working with outlets such as Kurdistana Azad and Özgür TV). Eyewitnesses reported that they were put in a vehicle belonging to Syrian transitional government forces[2].

The case of the two journalists also highlights the fact that thousands of civilians remain unaccounted for, or have been arbitrarily detained, following the Syrian transitional government's January 2026 military operations in north-east Syria.

In connection with this, can the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy kindly answer the following:

• 1.How - if at all - have EU representatives raised this urgent matter with the Syrian transitional government?
• 2.What new action does the European External Action Service intend to take to acquire information about the two journalists and ensure their release, and when will such action be taken?
• 3.What steps is the European External Action Service taking to ensure the safety of journalists providing independent reporting from Syria, including European journalists?

Submitted: 25.3.2026

• [1] https://cpj.org/2026/03/german-turkish-journalists-missing-in-syria/.
• [2] https://cpj.org/data/people/eva-maria-michelmann/.