Al Jazeera Demands Release of Journalist Held by Syria

Syrian anti-government protesters hold up loaves of bread as they protest in the northern Syrian port and oil terminal of Banias, on May 3, 2011. (AFP/Getty Images)

Al Jazeera English-language journalist  Dorothy Parvaz was captured in Syria last Friday, the day she arrived to cover the protests. Her family, friends and employer are pressing Syria for her release, but so far Syrian authorities have only confirmed that they have her.

“We are worried about Dorothy’s welfare, security and safety. Syria should release her immediately,” said an Al Jazeera spokesman in a statement.

Parvaz, a citizen of America, Iran, and Canada, has had no contact with anyone outside of the country since her disappearance, reported The Canadian Press.

Her previous assignment was in Japan, with her last story being published on April 26, three days before arriving in Syria.

“She is tough and she is a fighter—no doubt, she is stronger than us,” her family said in a statement, according to the Canadian Press. “We need to know where she is. We need to know who is holding her, and that she is comfortable. She is very loved. We need to know that she is safe.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, a “Free Dorothy Parvaz” Facebook page had more than 4,400 fans.

“Recent calls to the U.S. Syrian Embassy have shown that the employees of their media department have gone from cordial to irritable to downright rude in response to our inquiries,” said a recent post on the page. “They must be tired of dealing with Dorothy’s disappearance.”