The mysterious detention of American journalist Bilal Abdul Karim in Syria has reached 100 days, with growing concern from his family, supporters and press freedom advocates who say he has been held without charge or clear legal explanation.
According to posts shared by family members and supporters on social media, Bilal Abdul Karim has received limited communication from inside an Aleppo prison, with relatives describing the situation as one of “deep uncertainty” and emotional distress.
In one widely circulated message, his children appealed for his release, saying simply: “We want our father,” reflecting the personal toll his imprisonment has taken on his family.
Supporters and advocacy accounts marking the 100-day milestone have also claimed that his health has deteriorated in custody, although full independent verification of his medical condition remains limited.
One online campaign post stated that testimonies from family members and human rights observers point to worsening conditions inside detention, intensifying calls for urgent intervention.
Background
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Originally from the United States, he built a reputation as one of the few English-speaking journalists consistently embedded in opposition-held areas, documenting battles, displacement, and life on the frontlines.
He rose to prominence during the Syrian Revolution for his frontline reporting in cities such as Aleppo, often working independently through his platform On the Ground News.
His reporting was widely followed in activist and opposition media circles, where he became known for documenting the conflict from inside rebel-held territory.
He remained active in reporting and commentary on the conflict for over a decade.
His previous detention history is also well documented. Abdul Karim was previously held by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib in 2020, where he was detained for several months before being released in 2021 after public pressure campaigns.
Since news of his latest detention emerged, advocacy groups and online campaigns have called for clarity on his legal status, arguing that no formal charges have been announced publicly.
Supporters say the lack of transparency raises serious concerns over due process and press freedom.
On the 22nd December 2025 local sources report that security forces affiliated with Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (Ahmad Al-Sharaa) arrested American journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem during the noon prayer, near Al-Fateh Mosque in Al-Bab, northern Aleppo countryside.
According to sources, two General Security vehicles, crowded with armed personnel, surrounded the area before detaining Abdul Kareem and taking him to an unknown location (later revealed to be a prison in Aleppo).
No official statement has been issued regarding the reasons for his arrest or his current whereabouts.
Activists warn that the incident may indicate the beginning of a broader campaign targeting media figures and critics, amid growing concerns over press freedom and dissent in areas influenced by the Syrian government.
‘A lovely brother’
5Pillars editor in chief Roshan Muhammed Salih said Bilal Abdul Karim is someone he has known “for about fifteen years,” adding that although he has “never met him personally,” he has had “many, many interactions with him online and done interviews with him.”
He described Abdul Karim as “a lovely committed Muslim brother,” who is “very open to views that contradict his own and willing to sit down with people who he disagrees with in the spirit of brotherly debate.”
Salih also praised him as “a very committed, brave journalist,” saying he was “willing to put his life and safety at risk for his Islamic principles.”
He added that Abdul Karim was “very much a defender of the Syrian revolution,” noting that he “celebrated wildly when Bashar al-Assad fell,” while also describing him as someone who believes in “journalistic integrity and freedom of speech within Islamic boundaries.”
On his detention, Salih said it is “unconscionable that he can be held without charge or trial for so long without any word from the Syrian authorities,” calling the situation “a blight on the new Syria.”
He added that “if Bilal has committed a crime, he needs to be charged very soon and justice needs to be done,” but stressed that “if no crime has been committed, then he should be set free.”
At present, his family continue to call for answers, urging authorities to either disclose the basis of his detention or release him, as the 100-day mark passes with no official clarity on his case.
