Syrian officials have confirmed to the television channel Al-Jazeera English that they are holding British Columbia journalist Dorothy Parvaz, who was detained on arrival in Damascus six days ago and hasn't been heard from since.Al-Jazeera called for the immediate release of Parvaz.
She is an experienced journalist who joined Al-Jazeera in 2010. She graduated from the University of British Columbia, obtained a masters from Arizona University, and held journalism fellowships at both Harvard and Cambridge. She previously worked as a columnist and feature writer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in the United States.
Journalists have faced ever increasing restrictions in Syria since protests there began.
"We are worried about Dorothy's welfare, security and safety," an Al Jazeera spokesman said. "Syria should release her immediately."
A statement from Dorothy's family read: "Dorothy is a dearly loved daughter, sister and fiancée .… We need to know where she is. We need to know that she is comfortable. We need to know that she is safe."
Her family is desperate to hear from her.
"We just want to know she's safe and we want her to come home," her sister, Sheila Parvaz told CBC News Tuesday.Parvaz was born in Iran and is travelling on an Iranian passport, which prompted the foreign minister of Iran to ask for more information on Parvaz's fate.
Facebook campaign
About 2,000 people have joined a worldwide Facebook campaign for Parvaz's freedom.Her father, Fred Parvaz, hopes the global response to his daughter's disappearance will protect her."I am really relying on them to treat her well, like a human being, just like the person who wants to do her job," Fred Parvaz said.
"I am very proud of her, I love her very much."
Dorothy Parvaz spent her teenage years in North Vancouver and attended the University of British Columbia. She then studied journalism in Arizona and later worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper before taking the job with Al-Jazeera.Her fiancé, Todd Barker, said he tried to talk Parvaz out of going to Syria, but didn't succeed. "Nothing I would say would change her mind," Barker said in a telephone interview from Portland, Ore.Meanwhile, Syria's president said Wednesday the military operation in a southern city at the heart of the country's uprising will end "very soon."
The city of Daraa has been under military siege since April 25 as protests that started out as demands for reforms seven weeks ago mushroomed into calls for Bashar Assad's ouster.
Rights groups say at least 545 Syrians have been killed in the uprising.
Assad's remarks were reported in the private Al Watan daily on Wednesday.
Late Tuesday, activists say, security forces fired tear gas in the northern city of Aleppo to disperse hundreds of students rallying and calling for an end to Daraa's siege.The activists spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing government reprisals. They say many protesters were later detained.
She is an experienced journalist who joined Al-Jazeera in 2010. She graduated from the University of British Columbia, obtained a masters from Arizona University, and held journalism fellowships at both Harvard and Cambridge. She previously worked as a columnist and feature writer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in the United States.
Journalists have faced ever increasing restrictions in Syria since protests there began.
"We are worried about Dorothy's welfare, security and safety," an Al Jazeera spokesman said. "Syria should release her immediately."
A statement from Dorothy's family read: "Dorothy is a dearly loved daughter, sister and fiancée .… We need to know where she is. We need to know that she is comfortable. We need to know that she is safe."
Her family is desperate to hear from her.
"We just want to know she's safe and we want her to come home," her sister, Sheila Parvaz told CBC News Tuesday.Parvaz was born in Iran and is travelling on an Iranian passport, which prompted the foreign minister of Iran to ask for more information on Parvaz's fate.
Facebook campaign
About 2,000 people have joined a worldwide Facebook campaign for Parvaz's freedom.Her father, Fred Parvaz, hopes the global response to his daughter's disappearance will protect her."I am really relying on them to treat her well, like a human being, just like the person who wants to do her job," Fred Parvaz said.
"I am very proud of her, I love her very much."
Dorothy Parvaz spent her teenage years in North Vancouver and attended the University of British Columbia. She then studied journalism in Arizona and later worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper before taking the job with Al-Jazeera.Her fiancé, Todd Barker, said he tried to talk Parvaz out of going to Syria, but didn't succeed. "Nothing I would say would change her mind," Barker said in a telephone interview from Portland, Ore.Meanwhile, Syria's president said Wednesday the military operation in a southern city at the heart of the country's uprising will end "very soon."
The city of Daraa has been under military siege since April 25 as protests that started out as demands for reforms seven weeks ago mushroomed into calls for Bashar Assad's ouster.
Rights groups say at least 545 Syrians have been killed in the uprising.
Assad's remarks were reported in the private Al Watan daily on Wednesday.
Late Tuesday, activists say, security forces fired tear gas in the northern city of Aleppo to disperse hundreds of students rallying and calling for an end to Daraa's siege.The activists spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing government reprisals. They say many protesters were later detained.
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