Austin Tice
Austin Tice | |
---|---|
Born | Austin Bennett Tice[1] August 11, 1981[1][2] Plano, Texas, U.S.[1] |
Disappeared | August 14, 2012 (aged 31)
[3] Darayya, Syria[4] |
Status | Missing for 11 years, 8 months and 13 days |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Georgetown University |
Occupation | Journalist |
Parent(s) | Marc and Debra Tice[2] |
Austin Bennett Tice (born August 11, 1981) is an American
Early life and education
Tice is from
Career
Tice was previously a
Tice was one of the first American correspondents to witness Syrian-rebel confrontations.
Abduction in Syria
Tice was working as a freelance journalist for McClatchy, The Washington Post, CBS and other media when he was abducted from Darayya, Syria.[4][5] There was no immediate contact from Tice or his captors,[5] but in September 2012 a 47-second video of Tice blindfolded and bound was released.[14][15] In October 2012, a US spokesperson said it was believed, based on the limited information it had, that Tice was in the custody of the Syrian government.[16] No government or group in Syria has said it is holding Tice.[17]
In February 2015, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched its pro bono #freeaustintice campaign. Since September 2012, RSF has been assisting and advising his family. His parents asked RSF to help them raise awareness about their son's situation. RSF partnered with the global advertising agency J. Walter Thompson to prepare a public awareness campaign in order to do everything possible to bring Tice safely home. The campaign has since garnered over 17,000 signatories and a widespread blindfold pledge on social media.[18]
In April 2018, the
In August 2018, a
In November 2018, Reuters reported that Robert C. O'Brien, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, had called on Russia to "exert whatever influence they have in Syria" to secure Tice's release. The Syrian government said that it was unaware of Tice's whereabouts.[23]
In December 2018, Tice's parents announced during a press conference that they had received new information that indicated their son was still alive without elaborating further. Speaking to reporters from Beirut, Tice's parents said they believed that the best chance of Tice's release would come from direct talks between the US and Syrian governments.[24]
After Tice's disappearance was mentioned by WHCA president Steven Portnoy at the 2022 White House Correspondents Dinner, President Joe Biden invited Tice's parents to the White House for a meeting.[25] Following the 45 minute meeting, his parents said they are hopeful for his return.[25] As part of a statement issued to mark the tenth anniversary of Tice's captivity, Biden noted that the US government knew "with certainty" that the journalist was being held by the Syrian government.[26]
See also
- 2014 ISIL beheading incidents
- Foreign hostages in Iraq
- List of kidnappings
- Kenneth Bigley
- Nick Berg
- Peter Theo Curtis
- James Foley (journalist)
- Daniel Pearl
- Matt Schrier
- Steven Sotloff
References
- ^ FBI. Archivedfrom the original on September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ^ a b Muñoz, James (September 4, 2014). "Local Pastor prays for safe return of missing journalist Austin Tice". KENS. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ Banco, Erin (August 13, 2014). "Kidnapped American Journalist Austin Tice Is Still Missing In Syria After Two Years". International Business Times. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
- ^ a b Dehghanpisheh, Babak (November 12, 2012). "Family of missing journalist Austin Tice pleads for information". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Tice, Debra and Marc (August 13, 2014). "Austin Tice, two years later". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ "Austin Tice disappearance: Parents of U.S. journalist missing in Syria issue plea to captors". CBS News. August 14, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ Wendell, Bryan (March 22, 2019). "Parents of Eagle Scout journalist missing in Syria since 2012 remain hopeful". Bryan on Scouting. Scouting Magazine. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Haggerty, Michael (August 14, 2014). "Two Years Later — What Happened to Austin Tice? Missing Journalist's Parents Speak Out". houstonmatters.org. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ Sonia Smith (October 3, 2012). "Video Emerges of Missing Houston Journalist Austin Tice". Texas Monthly. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
Tice, an Eagle Scout and the eldest of seven children, grew up in Houston and attended the University of Houston for a year before transferring to Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, which he graduated from in 2002. He went on to join the U.S. Marine Corps as an officer, rising to the rank of captain and serving combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and enrolled in Georgetown Law School...
- ^ a b c Allam, Hanna (August 23, 2012). "Whereabouts of journalist Austin Tice, McClatchy contributor, unknown in Syria". mcclatchydc.com. McClatchy Newspapers. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ "Tice's parents cling to hope for his return". Daily Star. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ Harkin, James (May 1, 2014). "Evaporated". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "WASHINGTON: Whereabouts of journalist Austin Tice, McClatchy contributor, unknown in Syria". mcclatchydc.com. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ "Former U.S. Marine held captive in Syria". CNN. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ Ball, James (October 1, 2012). "Video emerges of Austin Tice, U.S. journalist who disappeared in Syria". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
- ^ "Journalist Austin Tice held by Syrian government, says US – video". The Guardian. October 3, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ "State Dept. denies journalist Tice has been seen in custody in Syria". mcclatchydc.com. McClatchy. March 30, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ Reporters Without Borders Launches #freeaustintice Campaign, a First In US Media History
- ^ Gladstone, Rick (August 14, 2018). "Parents of Austin Tice, Journalist Seized in Syria, Are Confident He's Alive". The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- ^ "US believes Austin Tice still alive as FBI offers new $1 million reward". ABC News. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- Times of Israel. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- ^ "U.S., Syrian security officials met in Damascus: official, report". Reuters. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- ^ "Trump envoy urges Russia help free journalist Austin Tice held in Syria". Reuters. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^ "Austin Tice's parents say new information offers further hope that he is alive". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
- ^ a b Patterson, Callie (May 4, 2022). "Abducted journalist Austin Tice's parents hopeful after Biden meeting". New York Post. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ Conroy, J Oliver (August 11, 2022). "Biden: US knows 'with certainty' Syria holding missing journalist Austin Tice". The Guardian. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
Further reading
- Goldman, Adam (June 23, 2017). "C.I.A. Set Up Secret Back Channel With Syria to Try to Free U.S. Hostage". ISSN 0362-4331.