American therapist detained in Syria more than seven years ago has died

Majd Kamalmaz, an American man detained in Syria more than seven years ago, has died, according to a statement from the Bring Our Families Home Campaign.

Majd Kamalmaz, an American man detained in Syria more than seven years ago, has died, according to a statement from the Bring Our Families Home Campaign (BoFH). “Tragically, he did not survive the brutal conditions of the prisons, enduring seven long years without a case, trial or any form of communication with his family,” read a statement from Jonathan Franks, spokesperson for BoFH, a group that campaigns on behalf of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas. “He was a kindhearted, loving and caring person who embodied these qualities as a son, husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle.” Kamalmaz, a Texas psychotherapist, was detained in 2017 at a checkpoint in Damascus, Syria, while on a trip to visit family. In 2020, CNN reported that Kamalmaz’s family members, who had not heard from him since his detainment, were hopeful that there would be momentum in his case, following a visit to Damascus from Trump administration officials. The visit was held in an effort to secure the release of American prisoners believed to be held by the Syrian government. But Kamalmaz did not return home — and the silence since his 2017 detainment persisted.