On December 8, 2025, the Internal Security Forces of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) arrested journalist Firas al-Barjas at his workplace in Raqqa city. He was released on January 26, 2026.
Al-Barjas, 26, worked at local private news website Alkhabour and Radio Sawt al-Hayat (Voice of Life), a local media outlet operating in Syria’s Jazira region. He previously worked for Hawar News Agency and Ronahi TV, outlets close to the DAANES.
His brother, Zuhair al-Barjas, told CPJ in early January that the family was being denied access to seeing him and was not certain of his whereabouts.
On January 26, Al-Barjas was released from Al-Aqtan prison after Syrian government forces took control of Raqqa on January 18, 2026, following the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces under a ceasefire agreement.
He told CPJ that he “was arrested after taking a photo in Raqqa of a handwritten note congratulating people on the success of the Syrian revolution, which was later posted on… social media accounts.”
“I was initially charged with communicating with foreign entities, and the charge was later changed to terrorism,” he said. “I was placed in solitary confinement and subjected to torture. I was awaiting sentencing when government forces took control of the prison, and I was released.”
CPJ contacted Badi’ Hasso, director of the media center of the Internal Security Forces, but received no response.