Sebastian Backhaus
SDF detains two German journalists
The Syrian Human Rights Committee learnt that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested two German journalists of in the Qamishli city, in Al-Hasakah province, last week while they were practicing their journalistic work.
According to the sources that leaked the news, the SDF accuses the German journalist Sebastian Backhaus and a colleague of violating the instructions by filming tunnels and military sites of the SDF without obtaining permission and coordination with the relevant authorities.
The two journalists disappeared for a couple days last week before it became clear that they had been arrested by the Internal Security Forces (Asayish).
It is worth noting that photographer Sebastian Backhaus and his colleague entered the areas controlled by the SDF in coordination with it through the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and that they have been present in the region since the start of the Arab Spring and covered many events in Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya.
In areas controlled by the SDF, journalists are persecuted and detained, and channels that do not promote their policies are closed.
The Syrian Human Rights Committee has documented many violations committed by the SDF and its affiliated agencies (Asayish) and the (Revolutionary Youth) in the past year, and topped the list of violators of freedom of the press and media in the areas of influence in Syria.
Syrian Human Rights Committee
25/1/2023