We demand the release of Eva and Ahmet!

On January 18, 2026, journalists Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmet Polad were abducted by security forces of the transitional government. To this day, there is no trace of them.

Since early March, the case has gained attention in the press and among politicians.The lawyer of Michelmann´s family has been in contact with the Foreign Office ever since. The Foreign Office stated that the German government’s diplomatic missions in the region have been notified. On March 11, journalists asked about the case again at the Federal Press Conference. The spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office reiterated that the case was known and that they were “working intensively to clarify the situation”.When asked what concrete steps the federal government could take to strengthen cooperation with the government in Damascus, there was no clear answer.

A few days later, Members of the Bundestag (German Parliament) Sanae Abdi, Cansu Özdemir, and Bodo Ramelow submitted a written inquiry to the federal government. The response states: “The relevant departments within the federal government are addressing the matter described in the inquiry and are in contact with the Syrian authorities regarding this.”

This rhetorical response cannot alleviate our concerns—nor those of the family—about the lives of the two journalists. According to the women’s movement in Rojava, Kongra Star, approximately 4,000 people were abducted during attacks by the security forces of the Syrian Interim Government, and their whereabouts are also unknown. We therefore demand that the German government provide the family and the public with specific information on exactly what steps have been taken to secure the release of Eva Maria Michelmann.

“The Federal Foreign Office warns against travel to Syria and notes in its travel advisory that German citizens in Syria can only receive extremely limited consular assistance in acute emergencies.” This information also demonstrates how justified our concern is.

On Monday, March 30, Syrian Interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa will arrive in Berlin for a state visit. Relations with the Syrian interim government are so good that Al-Sharaa will be received at the highest level.

That is why we ask:

Where are Eva and Ahmet?

How seriously is the release of Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmet Polad being taken?

How seriously is respect for human rights being taken?

The release of the two journalists, Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmet Polad, as well as thousands of other people, must be a top priority during Monday’s talks.

People´s Bridge, March 27 2026