‘Brutally Interrogated’ – French Journalist Detained by Israel in Syria

French writer Sylvain Mercadier was detained by Israeli forces. (Photo: Sylvain Mercadier, via Committee to Protect Journalists)

French writer Sylvain Mercadier recounts being detained, beaten, and interrogated by Israeli soldiers portion reporting successful the occupied Golan Heights.

Sylvain Mercadier, a French writer detained by the Israeli service successful Syrian territory, has described being beaten and “brutally interrogated” by Israeli soldiers, the Anadolu quality bureau reported.

Detained alongside Syrian activistic and lawyer Muhammed Fayyad, the writer told Anadolu astir the incidental that occurred portion they were moving successful the colony of Hamidiye.

French writer Sylvain Mercadier was reportedly arrested by Israeli forces successful Syria portion covering their beforehand successful the country.

Mercadier was successful the Syrian state of Quneitra wherever Israeli forces person been seizing further territory beyond what they already occupied of… pic.twitter.com/nDdYkAWwEp

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 9, 2025

Mercadier said that aft the Israeli service attempted to prehend their computers, they were “brutally” detained with their hands cuffed down their backs and mouths gagged.

He recounted being taken to a gathering converted into a subject basal by the Israeli service successful the occupied Golan Heights.

‘Insulted and Humiliated’

“For 4 hours, we were forced to beryllium connected the crushed cross-legged with our hands down our backs. We were mistreated, insulted and humiliated by the soldiers,” Mercadier explained.

The writer recounted being often interrogated, intimidated and subjected to repeated humiliation, Anadolu reported.

French writer Sylvain Mercadier and Syrian lawyer Mohammad Al-Fayyad were detained and mistreated by Israeli forces successful Quneitra. "We were blindfolded, beaten, and humiliated," Mercadier recounts.#PressFreedom #JournalistDetention pic.twitter.com/A6SvEPYFKw

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) January 9, 2025

“We were interrogated aggregate times, intimidated and threatened. I was thrown to the crushed and beaten due to the fact that I refused to cooperate with the service by unlocking my phone,” helium said.

After the interrogation, Mercadier said they were driven to different colony and released.

Equipment Confiscated

Their SIM cards, phones, cameras and representation cards were, however, not returned.

“I was deprived of my instrumentality needed for work,” helium stressed.

French writer Sylvain Mercadier was detained.

He was "threatened and humiliated" by Israeli forces.

We were handcuffed and blindfolded

We were threatened and humiliated

The Israeli stole my sim card, my camera representation cards. pic.twitter.com/7Wz00NrSRt

— Chronicles of Shame (@ShameChronicles) January 10, 2025

On X, Mercadier posted: “We had done thing but bash our work: journalism. When we were ordered by the service to halt filming, we stopped. When they searched the car, we fto them do, but erstwhile they wanted to confiscate a laptop successful the car, Mohammed protested and was instantly arrested.”

The writer added that helium excessively “started protesting this absurd behaviour and we were some arrested. Soldiers made amusive of america arsenic we were handcuffed and fto connected the acold floor.”

“We are determined to proceed reporting connected the concern of Syria,” helium stressed.

‘Shameful’

Tagging the French Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, successful his post, helium asked: “@datirachida are you going to enactment soundless for a agelong time?”

HONTEUX ! Le journaliste français @Sylv_Mercadier est actuellement détenu par l’armée israélienne. Son transgression ? Il filmait et photographiait l'avancée israélienne sur le territoire syrien à la frontière du Golan. @datirachida vous allez rester silencieuse longtemps ? pic.twitter.com/NbJ8N6gZZC

— Thomas Portes (@Portes_Thomas) January 8, 2025

Expanded Occupation

The Israeli service detained Mercadier and Fayyad successful the Quneitra portion of Syria connected December 8, 2024, and claimed that aft questioning, the 2 were released on with their idiosyncratic belongings, reported Anadolu.

Israeli subject attacks accrued successful Syria pursuing the illness of the 61-year-old Baath authorities connected December 8.

The Israeli service has expanded its concern successful the Golan Heights, advancing wrong 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) of Damascus, according to Anadolu.

Israel has occupied Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967, and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement betwixt Israel and Syria established the boundaries of the demilitarized zone.

(Anadolu, PC)