Between Exile and Homecoming: Syrian Journalists Navigate Fragile Hopes and Deep Divides in Post-Assad Era

July 03, 2025 – Syria – 

In the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s fall in December 2024, Syrian journalists—both in exile and at home—are navigating a deeply uncertain new landscape. For those who fled during the regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent, the end of authoritarian rule presents both an invitation and a dilemma: should they return to rebuild journalism in a fractured homeland, or continue their work from the relative safety of exile?

Many journalists who escaped Assad’s regime did so under the imminent threat of imprisonment or death. Today, some exiles feel compelled to return, not out of nostalgia, but out of a sense of duty to help restore independent journalism in Syria. Amal Berlin, a media platform run by Syrian exiles, is launching fact-checking and reporting workshops inside Syria this summer, signaling a concrete step toward reintegration and media revival.

Yet the road to collaboration is fraught. Some journalists who remained inside Syria view their exiled counterparts with suspicion, questioning their connection to the local reality. Berlin-based journalist Yahya Alaous describes this tension, noting that exiles are sometimes unfairly branded as traitors, even though exile was often the only path to survival.

This divide is mirrored in public perception. Carola Richter, a journalism professor in Berlin, explains that many Syrians now trust domestic media more than exiled outlets, perceiving the former as more transparent and grounded in their lived experiences. This dynamic presents a challenge to rebuilding trust across fractured communities of journalists.

Despite these obstacles, the seeds of a new media landscape are being sown. One Syrian journalist who returned to Damascus is already working to support international reporters and train aspiring local journalists, viewing this transition as a moral obligation. There is a growing recognition among returning exiles that their global experience can offer valuable tools for fostering ethical, professional journalism within Syria’s borders.

As Syria cautiously steps into a post-Assad era, the revival of its media will hinge not only on freedom from state repression but on reconciliation between those who fled and those who stayed. In the uncertainty, there is also momentum, one shaped by fear, fatigue, and a fragile but enduring hope for truth.

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Home or exile? Syrian journalists grapple with new realities post-Assad