On the disappearance of internationalist journalist Eva Maria Michelmann

Journalists Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmet Polad were arrested on January 18 in Al-Raqqa (Syria) by forces of the Syrian transitional government of President Ahmed al-Scharaa. Since then, there has been no trace of them.

Eva Maria Michelmann is from Cologne and is an internationally active journalist. Ahmet Polad is a journalist from Turkey. They had most recently reported from the region where, in January 2026, government forces launched fierce attacks on the area known as the “Democratic Self-Administration of North and East Syria,” better known by its Kurdish name Rojava.

As family members, lawyers, and “People’s Bridge,” we invite you to a press conference to report on the situation and our efforts to date to shed light on the case and secure their release.

The press conference will take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the “Alte Feuerwache” (old fire station), Melchiorstraße 3, 50670 Cologne, in the club room.

We would be delighted if you could attend and report on the event.

Present: Dr. Antonius Michelmann (brother), Roland Meister (lawyer), representative of People’s Bridge

Contact: People’s Bridge: info@peoples-bridge.org

People’s Bridge, March 6, 2026Invitation to a press conference