Turkish reporter transferred from Syrian custody to Istanbul prison pending trial

Turkish journalist Ahmet Polad, whose legal name is Mehmet Nizam Aslan, spent close to eight months in Syrian custody after being seized while covering combat in Raqqa. Syrian authorities transferred him to Turkey on September 9, where he appeared before a court and was promptly placed in Istanbul’s Metris Prison pending trial, without any public explanation of the charges. His lawyers say he was separated from other civilians, held in an Aleppo prison, and suffered torture and an extended hunger strike, allegations that have not been independently verified.

The earlier release of German journalist Eva Maria Michelmann, also captured with Polad, contrasts with his continued detention. The case underscores the broader crackdown on journalists, especially those reporting on Kurdish-held areas, as Turkey ranks 163rd out of 180 in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index.