Learn More about Hostage Diplomacy
According to a report by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, “the longer a wrongful detention lasts, the more difficult the case is to resolve. This data suggests that the current tools the U.S. government employs to release U.S. nationals are not effective and indicates a need to strengthen efforts to secure the release of U.S. nationals wrongfully detained abroad.”
You can help #freeEMAD by learning about this issue and supporting organizations dedicated to hostage diplomacy.
Bring Our Families Home Campaign
There are currently over 60 innocent Americans being held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas. The Bring Our Families Home Campaign is a campaign of family members of Americans currently held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad. They work to raise awareness of this issue by sharing the stories of detainees and their family members through media outlets, public art campaigns, and marches. They demand that the White House use all the tools on the table to #bringthemhome.
Since the Campaign’s launch in May 2022, a total of 8 members of Campaign have been reunited with their families..
James W. Foley Legacy Foundation
The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation was named after James W. Foley, an American freelance conflict journalist, who was kidnapped in 2012 while reporting from Syria. Jim was tortured and starved for nearly two years before his public execution by ISIS in 2014. During his captivity, Jim’s freedom was not a priority for the US government and his family struggled to get access and information.
The foundation’smission is to catalyze action, research, and policy that advocates for the freedom of all US nationals wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. Through government accountability, they work to prioritize the safe return of these US nationals and educate and protect journalists and international travelers.
Bringing Americans Home | Panel Discussion
On September 28th, 2022, The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, in partnership with New America, joined together for a virtual event to discuss the results of the Foley Foundation’s annual research report, “Bringing Americans Home”. The panel discussion welcomed a range of experts to discuss the current state of U.S. efforts to bring Americans held hostage abroad home. Emad’s sister, Neda Sharghi, discussed her family’s efforts to secure Emad’s release.