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Conditional Release of Journalist Nour Suleiman Following Mediation by Syrian Information Minister Amid Controversy
Syrian Minister of Information, Hamza Mustafa, announced the release of journalist Nour Suleiman, who had been detained in Damascus a few days earlier. The release came following his direct mediation with the Ministry of Interior. The minister clarified that Suleiman’s detention was unrelated to her journalistic work.
In a statement posted on his official account on X, Mustafa stated that he had contacted Interior Minister Anas Khattab, who responded positively to his request to release Suleiman under the Ministry of Information’s guarantee. The case, he noted, would continue to be monitored and is expected to be closed in the coming days.
Mustafa emphasized the importance of safeguarding press freedoms and journalists' rights, calling on all stakeholders to act responsibly in order to foster a constructive and accountable media landscape. He stressed the need to steer clear of hate speech, populism, and sectarian incitement—particularly during Syria’s delicate transitional phase.
The minister’s intervention followed a wave of online activism by several users on social media platforms, who demanded the disclosure of Suleiman’s whereabouts after she reportedly disappeared following a visit to a political security branch in the Mezzeh district of Damascus.
However, the release sparked controversy, with some activists criticizing the minister’s mediation. They argued that Suleiman’s detention was not linked to journalism but rather to posts on her Facebook page containing sectarian and inflammatory content, raising broader concerns about freedom of expression and its limits.
In a follow-up tweet, Mustafa clarified that advocating for the release of journalists does not bypass the judicial process but opens alternative legal pathways. He noted that press freedom had been a cornerstone of the Syrian revolution, during which around 700 journalists were killed defending their cause and principles.
The minister acknowledged the presence of multiple obstacles hindering the implementation of media laws, attributing them not only to outdated legislation from the Assad era but also to the existence of regions outside state control and the influence of a large Syrian diaspora.
Mustafa reaffirmed the Ministry of Information’s commitment to ensuring journalistic freedom and advancing the application of either revised or new media laws, with a strong focus on combating hate speech and incitement.
