POD HOSTAGE DIPLOMACY
We work to free hostages and the unjustly detained worldwide. Together with their families, we share their stories and let you know how you can help. Host, Daren Nair has been campaigning with many of these families for years and will introduce you to some of the most courageous and resilient people among us, people who have never given up hope, people who will never stop working to reunite their families.
SITREP Pod 4: Free Robert Pether, Australian held in Iraq | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
Last month marked two years since Robert Pether, an Australian citizen and Irish resident, has been wrongfully imprisoned in Iraq. He is a father, a husband and an engineer. Robert and his colleague, Khalid Radwan were both d...
Free Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, Americans held in Russia | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
American Marine veteran, Paul Whelan and American journalist, Evan Gershkovich are both wrongfully imprisoned in Russia. The United States government has classified both men as “wrongfully detained” and has called for their i...
SITREP Pod: Free Shahab Dalili, American hostage in Iran | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
Shahab Dalili is a United States lawful permanent resident from Virginia. His wife and children are all U.S. citizens. In April 2016, Shahab went to Tehran to attend his father’s funeral. He was then arrested and has been wro...
Free Cecile Kohler, French hostage in Iran | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
Cecile Kohler is a French teacher and a unionist. She has always dreamed of visiting Iran. Last year, both Cecile and her partner, Jacques Paris visited Iran as tourists during the French school holidays and were arrested on ...
SITREP Pod 2: Free Nahid Taghavi, German hostage in Iran | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
68-year-old German citizen, Nahid Taghavi has been held hostage in Iran since 16 October 2020. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and Amnesty International have both stated that her detention is arbitrary...
SITREP Pod: Free Benjamin Briere, French hostage in Iran | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
Today is day 19 of French citizen, Benjamin Briere’s hunger strike. He has been wrongfully imprisoned in Iran since May 2020. He is one of seven French citizens currently held in Iran. The French government has referred to th...
About the Host
Daren Nair
Daren Nair is a former Director on the Board of Amnesty International UK. His work on state-sponsored hostage-taking also known as hostage diplomacy has been cited in reports published by the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the Australian Parliament’s Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee as well as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture.
Daren has spent the last ten years campaigning with the families of individuals held hostage or wrongfully imprisoned by countries such as Iran, Russia, Venezuela, China, Syria and Iraq. Daren hosts the Pod Hostage Diplomacy podcast that works to free hostages and the unjustly detained around the world. Together with their families, he shares their stories and lets the public know what they can do to help bring them home.