Washington D.C. – The Hill, August 08, 2024
Last week’s release of 16 individuals wrongfully detained by Russia, including three Americans, was greeted with justified jubilation.
The Americans being held were seized by Russian authorities to pressure and embarrass the U.S. government and extract a painful price for their return. That pain manifested in the release of Russian criminals, several of whom have blood on their hands.
Kidnapping is a complex crime and often defies easy resolution. If you are ever kidnapped, you should hope it is by criminal gangs and not a terrorist group or a state like Russia.
In the former situation, money quietly changes hands, and the hostages are usually sent home. A quiet industry of professionals supports corporations, nonprofits and those who were abducted. These consultants know the market for hostages in particular locations, utilize data and trends on recent kidnappings and, through a variety of methods and guidance, facilitate the release of the hostages, whether they are being held in a Colombian jungle or on a ship off the coast of Somalia.
But if a terrorist group or a government takes you, it usually ends up being a much more protracted and complicated case. Sadly, death is a more frequent outcome. These hostage-takers most often make demands of the U.S. government, typically asking for the release of their own prisoners or a policy change. This leads to frustratingly slow movement, deeply upsetting families awaiting their relative’s release.
Countries need to balance getting citizens back with the parallel needs of administering justice to prisoners they’ve captured and, perhaps most glaringly, not encouraging further detention, as the U.S. government learned early on.
No policy is perfect, and it is difficult for government officials to thread the needle. Leaders often look hypocritical or as if they lied as they try to figure out a path forward.
