David Lesch Highlights Syria's Shifting Landscape at Austin Tice 13th Anniversary Event

Trinity University’s David Lesch, Ph.D., professor of history, a leading scholar on Syria, and a former personal acquaintance of Bashar al‑Assad, was a guest panelist at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where he discussed the evolving circumstances in Syria since Assad’s fall, including the regime collapse and what it means for access to information about kidnapped journalist Austin Tice who went missing 13 years ago.

The conference's overarching message was: “Silence and delay are no longer acceptable in the Austin Tice case.” Advocates, including Tice family members, journalists, and human rights experts, pressed for bold, visible U.S. leadership to bring Tice home. The event was broadcast live on C-SPAN2.

Note: The National Press Club is the World’s Leading Professional Organization for Journalists™.