Turkish authorities have released Syrian journalist Yassin Abu Raed approximately two weeks after his arrest in Turkey.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, September 4, Yassin stated, “I was released today after 15 days of detention, and I still do not know where this situation will lead. I do not understand its past or its future.”
He mentioned that he is unable to provide details at the moment, but hinted at “malicious individuals who have harmed me and my family.”
Yassin also shared that if it weren’t for his family’s strong health, he might have returned to Syria due to the “tension and difficulties” he has faced in recent months.
Yassin, the founder of the Kozal platform, which covers Syrian news in Turkey, was arrested shortly after stepping down from the platform.
His release comes just two days after Turkish authorities released journalist Bakr al-Kassem, who had been arrested by the Syrian National Army’s Military Police and handed over to Turkish intelligence on August 26, without a judicial warrant or stated reasons.
“Malicious” reports
On September 2, Bakr Kassem, a freelance journalist, posted a video on Facebook after his release, stating that he had been detained based on “malicious” reports from unknown sources. He emphasized that none of the charges against him were substantiated during his detention, leading to his eventual release.
Kassem works as a freelance journalist, producing content for Turkey’s Anadolu Agency and France’s AFP. He and his wife were arrested by a military police checkpoint in the city of al-Bab, eastern Aleppo, after covering the al-Bab commercial exhibition, a relative of Bakr told Enab Baladi.
The checkpoint confiscated both Bakr’s and his wife’s mobile phones, took him to his home, seized his work equipment (including cameras, hard drives, and laptops), and handed him over to Turkish intelligence.
Kassem’s wife recounted the details of their arrest in a video posted by the Syrian Media Union on Facebook, mentioning that she was also detained but later released due to external pressure.
Meanwhile, Syrian journalist Karam Kleya has been detained since June 26, with no information available regarding the charges against him. He was arrested by the “Military Police” in the Aleppo countryside and subsequently handed over to Turkish intelligence.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
