On World Press Freedom Day on Sunday, the family of missing journalist Austin Tice renewed calls for information about his whereabouts, saying they believe he may still be alive and could have been moved from Syria to Iran.
Tice, a Houston native and former U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was reporting on the Syrian Civil War when he disappeared on Aug. 14, 2012, at a checkpoint west of Damascus, Syria. A video released shortly after his disappearance showed him being held by armed men.
His family said they believe he may have been transferred from Syria during or after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. His sister, Naomi Tice, said the family suspects he may be held by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Naomi Tice said the family bases its assessment on information suggesting Iranian involvement in detention facilities in Syria and on the absence of confirmation from Syrian officials about his detention. She said the family believes he may have been moved to Iran but noted the information has not been confirmed.
The family called on the U.S. government to raise the case in diplomatic discussions involving Iran and to seek direct information about Tice’s status. They also called for engagement with Russian and Israeli officials to obtain any intelligence that could assist in locating him.
Family members said they want U.S. officials to question individuals they believe may have information about his detention, including former Syrian officials identified in reporting by international news organizations.
Jason Poblete, an attorney who represents wrongfully detained Americans in other cases, said the U.S. government should increase efforts to secure information and the release of Americans held abroad. He cited historical cases involving Americans detained overseas as evidence of long-standing diplomatic challenges in such situations.
David Levinson, son of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who was previously held hostage abroad, said U.S. law enforcement pursues leads in missing persons cases and expressed support for continued efforts to locate Tice.
Tice remains the longest-missing U.S. journalist, according to advocacy groups tracking cases of Americans detained or unaccounted for overseas.
