Debra Tice, the mother of award-winning journalist Austin Tice who has been detained in Syria since 2012, told a news conference hosted by the National Press Club’s Press Freedom Team that she is cautiously optimistic for his return to the U.S., but said pressure for his safe release must continue.
Austin Tice was captured while reporting in Syria for McClatchy, the Washington Post and other news outlets. Progress in achieving his release has been slow despite a sustained campaign, but Debra Tice said she has some reasons for hope.
“My feeling now more than ever, the time now is critical for Austin,” Tice said. “I think doors are opening a bit, and we need to shove those doors open and pull Austin out right now. It’s critical.”
Late last year, Tice said, two officials from the Trump administration traveled to Damascus to meet with the Syrian government, with the conversation including the matter of Austin’s release. She said that while the Syrians had “three reasonable asks” of the Americans, no action was taken, especially after the 2020 elections here at home and the “chaos” that consumed Washington in the wake of Donald Trump's defeat.
Since then, she said, she has had a series of “friendly chats” with Biden administration officials, but is worried that after she leaves, Austin’s case gets “shoved to the side of the desk.”
But Tice said she has new hope as Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted about Austin Tice’s case, which she said may be the first time he has mentioned his name in public. And while Blinken said he would support any efforts to bring Austin home, it has been difficult to engage with President Joe Biden since his inauguration, Tice said.
“I wonder if he’s allowed himself to forget about Austin. I don’t have any indication otherwise,” she said.
Tice blamed international politics for preventing even more progress being made on Austin’s case, in particular the U.S. government not having a defined foreign policy on Syria -- as that often is cited as an obstacle to obtaining his release. She said the French method, whereby they negotiate the release of hostages separately from any geopolitical considerations, is something the U.S. could mirror.
“What I’ve begun to realize recently, and I may be a slow learner, is that Austin is smothering in this excuse of, ‘We can’t do it because of our foreign policy,’” Tice said. “You can do it, because there isn’t a foreign policy, so just figure out what Austin needs as a human being aside from policy, do that thing and then continue to scratch your head about what you’re going to do about Syria writ large.”
Tice called on journalists to keep up the pressure on the federal government to act on Austin's behalf, especially on the State Department, the National Security Council and Biden. She noted that she is not the “only source” for new information.
“Be like President Trump was,” Tice said. “He would be in a meeting about anything, and he’d tune in and say, ‘When are you going to tell me about Austin Tice?’ You journalists can do that, too.”
An NPC petition calls on the Biden administration to prioritize the release and safe return of Austin Tice.
