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Syrian Regime Releases Jordanian Journalist After Five Years of Arbitrary Detention
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The regime uses Gharaibeh’s release as propaganda to polish its tarnished international image
The Syrian regime, led by President Bashar al-Assad, issued a so-called “special presidential pardon” for Jordanian journalist Umair Gharaibeh, who was arbitrarily detained by regime authorities since 2019. This move is seen as an attempt to improve the regime’s reputation, stained by crimes against detainees, and to leverage the case for political purposes with Jordan.
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly hailed the regime's action, framing it as “cooperation in facilitating the release process” and overlooking the illegitimacy of the detention itself. The ministry even praised “the position of sisterly Syria” for issuing the pardon, signaling improved relations with Damascus.
The ministry stated that its embassy in Damascus had “followed up on Gharaibeh’s detention conditions” and “maintained communication with Syrian authorities,” highlighting close coordination with the regime and the use of Jordanian diplomacy to serve the regime’s interests by portraying detainee exploitation as humanitarian gestures.
Levante – Agencies
