Firas Al-Barjas, a journalist for Sawt Al-Hayat Radio, was arrested by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in front of his workplace in Raqqa, northern Syria, on 15 December. He was not provided with any official explanation for his arrest, and was denied access to his family or lawyer. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Syrian affiliates, the Syrian Journalists Union (SJU) and the Syrian Journalists Association (SJA), in calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Al-Barjas was arrested by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) outside his workplace in Raqqa and taken to an unknown location. To date, no official statement has clarified the reasons for his arrest, where he is being held, or the legal basis for the actions taken against him. He has been denied contact with his family and legal counsel, and his fate remains unknown.
Al-Barjas’s arrest and detention is the culmination of ongoing repressive policies targeting journalists in the eastern Euphrates region of northern Syria involving arrests and intimidation.
The SJU has also denounced recent attacks carried out by pro-Assad partisan groups in the western Syrian governorates of Latakia and Tartous, which targeted both journalists and security forces. The SJU has described these attacks as part of a dangerous escalation aimed at “destabilising security, spreading chaos, and intimidating free journalistic voices”.
During his final mission to Syria in September 2025, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger reaffirmed his support for the joint efforts of the IFJ’s local affiliates, the SJU and the SJA, to rebuild journalism following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime in December 2024. He emphasised the significant obstacles, pressures and resistance faced by Syrian media professionals, and praised their courage and determination. “The IFJ will stand by their side, not only to support their projects, but also to defend their rights, promote their independence, and ensure their voice is heard”.
The Syrian Journalists Union declared: “Press freedom is an inherent and indivisible right and must not be subjected to any political or security considerations. The dignity and safety of journalists are the responsibility of all authorities and forces exercising control on the ground”.
The Syrian Journalists Association also asserted that “the continued detention of journalists and media activists outside the legal framework constitutes a blatant violation of press freedom and the right to access information,” stressing “the need to respect freedom of expression and media work in all Syrian regions, and to stop practices that lead to silencing journalistic voices or intimidating media workers”.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “At a time when Syrian journalists are working tirelessly, often at great personal risk, to rebuild a free, independent and credible media landscape, the detention of Firas Al-Barjas and the attacks on other media professionals send a chilling message. We stand with our Syrian affiliates in urging the SDF to release Firas Al-Barjas immediately, ensure his physical and legal safety, and guarantee safe working conditions for all journalists in the country, in order to support the free and independent press that Syrians deserve.”