Arabic version: صحفية ألمانية تُفرج عنها من سوريا بعد أشهر من الاحتجاز

A German journalist who was detained in Syria has been released, her family has confirmed. Eva Maria Michelmann arrived from Jordan on Friday, after being held since her arrest in the Syrian city of Raqqa on January 18.

According to Al Jazeera, her brother reported that she is doing well under the circumstances, despite spending an extended period in solitary confinement.

Michelmann, originally from Cologne, had been working as a freelance journalist in Syria since 2002. She was arrested during a military operation targeting a building linked to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). At the time of her arrest, a Kurdish journalist, Ahmed Polad, was also taken into custody, but his whereabouts remain unknown.

The Syrian Information Ministry indicated that Michelmann had initially misidentified herself as a Spanish national affiliated with the United Nations. However, inquiries revealed her true identity as a German journalist. Following her arrest, she and another individual reportedly attempted to escape from custody.

The German embassy in Damascus provided consular support and worked alongside the embassy in Beirut to advocate for her release from Syrian authorities.