US President Biden renews call for Syria regime to release journalist Austin Tice, 12 years later

The United States’ President, Joe Biden, has reiterated an appeal to Syria’s regime of Bashar Al-Assad for the “immediate release” of American journalist, Austin Tice, 12 years after Syrian authorities kidnapped and detained him.

On 14 August, 2012, while covering the ongoing Syrian civil war that had erupted throughout the country the year before, freelance journalist, Austin Tice – aged 31 at the time – was abducted at a regime checkpoint near Syria’s capital, Damascus, and since then has only been seen in September that year in footage which showed him blindfolded and detained by unidentified armed men.

His fate, whereabouts, and state of health remain unknown, but it is suspected that he is likely still detained within the Syrian regime’s vast and infamous prison system. The US government continues to urge for his release and, in 2022, the State Department confirmed that it was holding direct talks with Syrian officials in an attempt to secure Tice’s release.

Yesterday, marking the 12th year of his disappearance, President Joe Biden made a renewed appeal for the Assad regime to release Tice. “We have repeatedly pressed the government of Syria to work with us so that we can, at last, bring Austin home. Today, I once again call for his immediate release”, Biden said in a statement.

“The freedom of the press is essential, and journalists like Austin play a critical role informing the public and holding those in power accountable. We stand in solidarity with Austin, his family and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. I will continue to do everything possible to advocate for and pursue his release and support his loved ones until he is safely returned home.”

READ: Syria denies abducting, detaining American journalist Austin Tice