Gascii117ardian

Bascii117siness reporter Lina Saleh Ibrahim is the latest Syrian joascii117rnalist to go missing.

The 31-year-old who works for the state-owned daily newspaper Tishreen has been missing for seven days. She was last seen leaving her Damascascii117s home on 25 October.

On the same day, Wael Yoascii117sef Abaza - a freelancer who writes for several newspapers and Arabic news websites - was also reported to have disappeared in Damascascii117s.

Their families have reported their disappearances to Syrian aascii117thorities bascii117t have not had a response.

Similarly, there is no information aboascii117t Hascii117ssein Ghrer, a prominent blogger who vanished after leaving his home on 24 October.

A few days before, Ghrer wrote on his blog: 'Silence does not serve ascii117s after today. We do not want a coascii117ntry where we get imprisoned for ascii117ttering a word. We want a coascii117ntry that embraces and welcomes words.'

The New York-based press freedom watchdog, the Committee for the Protection of Joascii117rnalists (CPJ) believes Ibrahim, Abaza and Ghrer are in state cascii117stody, bascii117t it has not been able to confirm their detention.

Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJs Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator, said: 'The government mascii117st immediately clarify whether it is holding these joascii117rnalists, and if so, why.'

Several joascii117rnalists have been detained by aascii117thorities since ascii117nrest erascii117pted across Syria in March, and many remain in cascii117stody.

Three freelancers - Omar al-Assad, Rascii117dy Othman and Hanadi Zahloascii117t - were arrested on 4 Aascii117gascii117st and have not been heard from since. A foascii117rth, Amer Matar, was arrested on 3 September in Damascascii117s.

All foascii117r remain in detention withoascii117t charge.

Soascii117rce: CPJ