In order to end hostage diplomacy, we need to punish the hostage-takers and raise awareness of this abhorrent practice worldwide. To achieve these goals, we brief government officials and speak to journalists as well as influencers in the media. The following are some of our briefings and interviews as well as publications that have cited our work:
Australian Parliament's Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee - 28 November 2024
In November 2024, the Australian Parliament's Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee published its report on the wrongful detention of Australian citizens overseas and provided recommendations to the Australian government on how to address this growing problem. Our host, Daren Nair made a submission to the Committee a few months earlier providing his own recommendations. The Committee's report cited Daren's submission multiple times.
Read the Committee's report here
Australian Parliament's Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee - 4 September 2024
In June 2024, the Australian Senate launched an inquiry into the wrongful detention of Australian citizens overseas. Since 2022, we have been campaigning with the family of Australian citizen, Robert Pether wrongfully imprisoned in Iraq to secure his release. Our host, Daren Nair made a submission to this inquiry which was accepted and published by the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee.
US Congressional-Executive Commission on China - 10 May 2024
The US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) once again cited our podcast interview with Harrison Li in their 2023 Annual Report. Harrison Li is the son of American businessman, Kai Li from New York who has been wrongfully imprisoned in China since September 2016.
Read the CECC's 2023 Annual Report here
UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee - 4 April 2023
On 4 April 2023, the UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee published its report titled "Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy". The report calls for a "zero tolerance approach" to cases of state hostage taking and arbitrary detention. The report finds that the UK government has failed to learn lessons in responding to state hostage taking and has often been too slow - or entirely unwilling - to call out countries guilty of state hostage taking. This report cited evidence submitted by our creator and host, Daren Nair.
Read the Committee's report here
American Diplomat Podcast – 12 January 2023
Our creator and host, Daren Nair talks to (Ret.) U.S. Ambassador Peter Romero and Laura Bennett on their American Diplomat podcast about hostage diplomacy and the American hostage enterprise. Daren also talks about the different types of hostage-takers and how we can end hostage diplomacy.
US Congressional-Executive Commission on China - 3 November 2022
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) was created by the United States Congress in October 2000 with the legislative mandate to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, and to submit an annual report to the President and the Congress. The Commission consists of nine Senators, nine Members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. The CECC's 2022 annual report cited our interview with Harrison Li, son of American businessman, Kai Li currently wrongfully imprisoned in China.
ABC Radio National’s Rear Vision Podcast – 21 August 2022
Our creator and host, Daren Nair talks to Keri Phillips of Australian ABC Radio National’s Rear Vision podcast about hostage diplomacy. They discuss the role of governments in securing the release of their citizens wrongfully detained abroad and how the media can help.
UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee – 15 June 2022
After the release of British citizen, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was held hostage in Iran for almost six years in March 2022, the UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) approach to state level hostage situations. Our creator and host, Daren Nair who campaigned closely with Nazanin's family for almost six years to secure her release submitted written evidence to this inquiry which was published by the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Pod Hostage Diplomacy has been mentioned in reports published by news outlets and reputable organisations from around the world. Here are some of these reports:
Deutschlandfunk - 16 February 2024
Hostage diplomacy is an international security threat and cases have been increasing significantly in recent years. Daren spoke to Gunnar Köhne of German news outlet, Deutschlandfunk about hostage diplomacy and what needs to be done to combat this threat.
Listen to this interview in German here
The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation - 22 May 2023
Jose Pereira was wrongfully imprisoned in Venezuela for almost five years with his five colleagues. All six men are Americans and they worked for U.S. oil company, CITGO Petroleum. Collectively they were known as the CITGO 6. The U.S. government designated these men as "wrongfully detained" and secured their release on 1st October 2022 in a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Venezuela. We at Pod Hostage Diplomacy campaigned for their release and interviewed most of their families including Jose's son, John Pereira and Jose himself shortly after his release. In an article for the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, Jose talks about his experience as well as what needs to be done to end hostage diplomacy and he mentions his interview with us.
Miami Herald - 8 March 2022
Six Americans who work for CITGO Petroleum in the United States have been wrongfully imprisoned in Venezuela since November 2017. Collectively these men are known as the "CITGO 6". The United States government designated all six men as "wrongfully detained". We at Pod Hostage Diplomacy have interviewed and are campaigning with the families of most of these men. In March 2022, one of the CITGO 6, Gustavo Cardenas was released. The Miami Herald quoted our interview with Veronica Vadell Weggeman, the daughter of another member of the CITGO 6, Tomeu Vadell.