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☆ American journalist Evan Gershkovich marks one year in Russian detention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

American journalist Evan Gershkovich marked the grim milestone of one year in Russian detention on Friday as US efforts have yet to secure his release. “This has been a really difficult year for our family,” Gershkovich’s sister, Danielle Gershkovich, said at an event last week. Gershkovich is the first journalist to be arrested on such charges since the Cold War, and the Russian government has yet to provide any evidence to support its claim. “This verdict to further prolong Evan’s detention feels particularly painful, as this week marks one year since Evan was arrested and wrongfully detained,” US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy said Tuesday. But it is time for the Russian government to let Evan go.”In the past several years, Russia has detained a number of other Americans.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, ”, Danielle Gershkovich, “ It’s, Gershkovich, Evan, Lynne Tracy, “, “ Evan, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Ksenia Karelina, Marc Fogel, Roger Carstens, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Carstens, Matthew Miller, Paul, Moscow, ’ Gershkovich Organizations: Street, Gershkovich, US State Department, ”, Philadelphia Inquirer Locations: Russian, Yekaterinburg, Moscow’s, Russia, American, Moscow

WASHINGTON (AP) — By any standard, the past 18 months have been remarkable for getting wrongfully detained Americans home. For all the releases of wrongly detained Americans, several dozen remain imprisoned or held hostage, often by a hostile government. In some instances, there have been few signs of progress, and families have sometimes seen the foreign countries that are holding their loved ones release other detainees — but not yet their relatives. In September, five Americans jailed for years in Iran walked free in a deal that saw the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets. Despite the administration’s recent spate of success with other detainees, he said he was pragmatic about the absence of an obvious solution.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Harrison Li, Kai, Li, ”, he’s, “, ” Li, Roger Carstens, ” “ There’s, ” Carstens, Biden, Leonard ”, Nicolas Maduro, Paul Rusesabagina, Joe Biden, Kai Li, Xi Jinping, you’re, Maryam Kamalmaz, Majd Kamalmaz, Austin Tice, Carstens, there’s, He’s, Paul Whelan, we’re, Whelan’s, David, Whelan, don’t Organizations: WASHINGTON, Stanford, Biden, ., U.S, U.S ., FBI, United, Michigan Locations: Iran, Russia, Venezuela, China, Rwanda, ”, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Shanghai, United Nations, Washington, Beijing, Texas, Syria, United States, America, Kremlin

CNN —President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he believes a deal can be reached to release hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, voicing optimism as officials tell CNN prolonged talks to free hostages are nearing an agreement. The broad parameters that are currently being discussed entail Hamas releasing a large group of hostages at the same time Israel frees Palestinian prisoners. Israel recently asked for 100 hostages to be released, according to a Hamas spokesman and a source familiar with the negotiations. A senior Israeli official told that CNN hostage negotiations are ongoing – and are being handled by Qatar, the CIA, and Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad. Another factor that had slowed talks was a lack of information about the hostages Hamas is holding.

Persons: Joe Biden, “ I’ve, ” Biden, “, it’s, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN’s Dana Bash, – Organizations: CNN, White, US, National, Hostage Affairs, Israel, Qassam, CIA Locations: Gaza, Israel, Washington ,, Qatar, Israeli

☆ Biden Talks With Families of Missing Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

President Biden held a call Friday with the family members of the 14 Americans still unaccounted for following the attacks in Israel, the White House said. Biden was joined on the call by a group of advisers, including national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Roger Carstens, who serves as a special envoy for hostage affairs. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said the call included a couple of family members from each of the families of those 14 Americans. Kirby said Biden “conveyed directly to these families that they have been in his prayers” and said the government was doing everything possible to locate and bring home their loved ones. The fate of the missing Americans remains unknown, but U.S. officials have said at least some of them are believed to be among the hostages taken by Hamas.

Persons: Biden, Jake Sullivan, Roger Carstens, John Kirby, Kirby, Biden “ Organizations: National Security Council Locations: Israel

☆ US Secretary of State Blinken meets Jordanian king in Amman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMMAN, Oct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday met with Jordanian King Abdullah in Amman, the second stop of his most extensive Middle East tour yet as Israel prepares for a sweeping ground offensive in Gaza, and he urged people in Gaza city to evacuate to the south. His demand, which the United Nations said would be impossible to carry out "without devastating humanitarian consequences”, comes a day after Blinken visited Israel and held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the conflict. Before departing for Doha, he is set to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman. U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Steve Gillen traveled with Blinken to Israel and will stay to support efforts to free them, Blinken said. Israel said there would be no humanitarian break until all hostages were freed.

Persons: Antony Blinken, King Abdullah, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Jordan, Mahmoud Abbas, we’ll, ” Blinken, “ We’ll, ” Washington, Steve Gillen, Humeyra Pamuk, Hugh Lawson Organizations: United Nations, Doha, Palestinian, Hostage, Thomson Locations: AMMAN, Amman, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Egypt, American, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, “, Tel Aviv, Gaza . U.S, Blinken

☆ Biden speaks with families of Americans unaccounted for in Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden on Friday spoke with the families of the Americans who remain unaccounted for in Israel after promising to speak with family members of those who are held hostage by Hamas. The family members joined Biden from both Israel and the US for the video call, a source familiar with the conversation told CNN. It made for a large gathering, as multiple family members joined from different locations in some cases. We are confident that we are in good hands,” she said on “The Situation Room.”Cohen noted that she has many other family members unaccounted for. The US is in “direct communication” with Israeli counterparts and the families, Kirby told CNN’s Poppy Harlow on Friday morning.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, “, ”, John Kirby, Biden “, Roger Carstens, Kirby, ” Kirby, Saray Cohen, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, ” Cohen, CBS ’ Scott Pelley, ” Biden, White, CNN’s Poppy Harlow, Antony Blinken Organizations: Washington CNN, National Security, Biden, CNN, CBS, FBI, Pentagon Locations: Israel, Philadelphia, United States, America, Gaza, Qatar, Afghanistan, Iraq

☆ Inside the crucial final hours as American diplomats tackled last minute obstacles to bring five Americans imprisoned in Iran home
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Senior State Department officials spoke to CNN about what happened on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive details. The Iranians even threatened not to include all five of the Americans in the release unless the US did more, the officials told CNN. “We held our line and the Iranians backed down and we made it work,” a senior State Department official said. But the Qatari officials, in a smooth diplomatic maneuver, countered that they would be offended if everyone did not eat while on board the Qatari plane and an agonizing final delay was avoided. ET, the US plane carrying the seven Americans, Carstens, Paley and other US officials departed Doha en route to the US.

Persons: Iran Abram Paley, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, “, ”, didn’t, “ They’re, “ We’ve, “ couldn’t, Morad, Emad Shargi, Effie, Vida, Siamak, Karim Jaafar, Carstens, Paley, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Joe Biden, ” Shargi Organizations: CNN, Senior State Department, Hostage Affairs, Qatari, Swiss, State Department, Central Bank, Doha International Airport, Getty, Defense, “ CNN Locations: United States, Iran, Tehran, Doha, South Korea, Qatar, Emad Sharqi, AFP, Washington, DC, Fort Belvoir , Virginia, PISA, Fort Belvoir

☆ Iran prisoner release: Five Americans back on US soil after release from Iranian detention
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Five Americans freed from Iranian detention this week returned to US soil early Tuesday following an initial stop in Doha, Qatar, two US officials told CNN. Yay Abram!”Then the freed American detainees stepped off the plane and onto US soil for the first time in more than five years and into the arms of their loved ones, some of whom rushed forward to greet them, carrying small American flags. “We’re home,” Emad Shargi said after embracing his daughters, Hannah and Ariana, and stroking his wife Bahareh’s face. And I know a lot of you are going to maintain the fight to try to bring more Americans home,” he said. Namazi’s mother, Effie Namazi, and Tahbaz’s wife, Vida Tahbaz, who had been previously unable to leave Iran, were also on the flight from Iran to Doha, the official said Monday.

Persons: Emad, Morad, Siamak, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Iran Abram Paley, “, Roger ! Yay Abram, ”, Emad Shargi, Hannah, Ariana, Bahareh’s, other’s, Carstens, Effie Namazi, Vida Tahbaz, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: CNN — Five, CNN, Fort Belvoir’s Davison Army, Department of Defense, Hostage Affairs, Qatari, Washington, Monday, Biden Locations: Doha, Qatar, Fort, PISA, United States, Iran, Tehran, DC, American

“He risked his life to get the information out for me when I was in the prison in Iran. He met White in 2018 after one such arrest when Vatankhah faced accusations of spreading propaganda against Tehran's government. Though Vatankhah was later released, he was arrested again, this time winding up in the same cell as White in Iran's Mashhad prison. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it does not discuss individual humanitarian parole cases. Vatankhah said his humanitarian parole is good for one year, but he already has applied for asylum, which would allow him to remain in the U.S.

Persons: — Michael White, White, Mahdi Vatankhah, “, ” White, Vatankhah, Jonathan Franks, White's, —, Qassem Soleimani, Paris Etemadi Scott, “ Mahdi, ”, He's, Eric Tucker Organizations: WASHINGTON, Navy, AP, U.S, Iranian, Quds Force, Revolutionary Guard, Citizenship, Immigration Services, State Department, Twitter Locations: Iranian, White, United States, Los Angeles, Iran, U.S, Southern California, Iran's Mashhad, American, Turkey, Paris, California, San Diego

☆ The Kremlin is open to discussions over a potential prisoner swap for detained Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Kremlin has expressed openness to a potential prisoner swap that could involve Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich, a WSJ reporter, was detained by Russian officials in March on suspicion of espionage. The Journal and the US government have vehemently denied the allegations against Gershkovich. Russia's internal security service at the time said that it had detained Gershkovich, accusing him of "espionage in the interests of the American government." The US has told the Kremlin that Gershkovich is not a spy and is not a government official.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, —, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Gershkovich, Joe Biden, Evan, Biden, Gershkovich's, …, Roger Carstens, We've, Carstens, They're, Paul Whelan — Organizations: Gershkovich, Service, Street, Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow —, White House, Kremlin, Aspen Ideas, US State Department, US Marine Locations: Russia, United States, Yekaterinburg —, Moscow, Russian, Colorado

☆ US hostage envoy Roger Carstens quietly traveled to Venezuela this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens quietly traveled to Venezuela this week, a State Department spokesperson confirmed to CNN Wednesday. Carstens traveled to the capital city of Caracas for “discussions about the welfare and safety of US nationals wrongfully detained in Venezuela,” the spokesperson said. “We continue to advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of all wrongfully detained US nationals in Venezuela at every opportunity,” they said. ‘Signing his death warrant’The family members of the detained Americans, all of whom have been detained more than a year, are increasingly worried about their loved ones. Tillery told CNN that the US is “signing his death warrant” by not securing Kenemore’s release.

Persons: Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Carstens, ”, “, Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Luke Denman, Airan Berry, Nicolas Maduro, Jeana, Tillery, Gustavo Cárdenas –, Jorge Alberto Fernandez, – Jose Pereira, Jorge Toledo, Tomeu, Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano, Matthew Heath, Osman Khan –, Biden Organizations: CNN, Hostage Affairs, State Department, United Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, United States, Venezuelan

☆ House Passes Resolution Calling on Russia to Free U.S. Prisoners
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Why It MattersThe House has weighed in to condemn Mr. Whelan’s detention in the past, but Tuesday’s resolution was the first time that either chamber of Congress had officially called for Mr. Gershkovich’s release. Mr. Gershkovich’s arrest came just a few months after a high-profile prisoner swap in which Brittney Griner, an American W.N.B.A. American officials tried and failed to secure the release of Mr. Whelan in the deal. Mr. Whelan, who holds American, Canadian, Irish and British passports, has insisted he was visiting Russia as a tourist, and was set up. It is not clear which Russian prisoners the Kremlin would seek in exchange for either Mr. Gershkovich or Mr. Whelan, or both.

Persons: Biden, Gershkovich’s, “, Marc Fogel, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Mr, Antony J, Blinken, Roger D, Carstens, Biden’s, Gershkovich, Soviet, Brittney, Viktor Bout, Whelan, Griner’s, ”, — Organizations: American, Kremlin Locations: U.S, Russia, Russian, American, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, United States

CNN —After spending more than 300 days in Russian custody last year, Brittney Griner made an emotional return to her WNBA home court in the Phoenix Mercury’s 75-69 defeat by the Chicago Sky. The crowd went crazy in applause as she ran onto the court while giving her teammates high fives. “There might have been a little dust in my eye, a little dusty,” Griner told reporters after the game. Carstens joined Griner at the podium after the game, alongside Representative Shelia Jackson Lee, and said it was “emotional” for them both seeing Griner on the court. BG’s family in the crowd and BG back on the court, doing what BG does best which is playing basketball.

☆ Biden administration looking at arranging high-profile visits to China by senior officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

There are ongoing discussions about visits for four top Biden administration officials — Blinken, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Climate Envoy John Kerry – but the order of those visits remains unclear, even among US officials who will be involved in the planning. Inside the administration, some officials have strong views about who should travel first, while others are less concerned about the sequence, multiple US officials told CNN. There are no specific dates currently under consideration for a possible Blinken visit, the officials said. But administration officials now believe that Kerry’s trip is unlikely to come first with the other three officials having discussed possible visits for months. Sullivan and Wang met for more than 8 hours over the course of two days and covered a wide range of topics, administration officials explained to reporters.

☆ Kremlin says detained U.S. reporter 'violated' Russian law
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 11 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich had "violated Russian law" and been caught "red-handed", after the U.S. State Department officially designated him as having been "wrongfully detained" by Russia. Russia's federal security service (FSB) arrested Gershkovich last month on espionage charges widely decried as bogus by the White House, other Western countries, the Wall Street Journal, dozens of media organisations and human rights groups. Asked about the U.S. move on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov repeated Russia's position that Gershkovich broke the law. He said Gershkovich had "been caught red-handed and violated the laws of the Russian Federation", before adding: "This is what he's suspected of, but of course, the court will make a decision". Russia has presented no evidence to support the case against Gershkovich, which is proceeding in secret because Russia says the case materials are confidential.

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - The United States on Monday determined that Russia has "wrongfully detained" American Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, effectively saying that espionage charges are bogus and that the case is political. The Wall Street Journal has denied Gershkovich was spying. The Wall Street Journal's publisher and editor in chief said the "wrongfully detained" designation "will unlock additional resources and attention at the highest levels of the U.S. government in securing his release." Legislation passed by Congress in 2020 lists 11 criteria to help determine if a U.S. citizen is "wrongfully detained." The Biden administration has secured the release of at least 25 "wrongfully detained" Americans.

When a hostile foreign nation or group releases an imprisoned U.S. citizen, the first American to welcome them home is typically Washington’s hostage deal maker in chief, Roger D. Carstens . The special presidential envoy for hostage affairs was on a tarmac Dec. 8 in the United Arab Emirates to meet Brittney Griner when she arrived on a Russian plane after almost 10 months in captivity. Mr. Carstens told the freed basketball star that he was there to escort her home on behalf of President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken , according to a senior Biden administration official.

☆ U.S. Readies ‘Wrongfully Detained’ Label for Reporter Held in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Vivian Salama | Andrew Restuccia | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The State Department is preparing to designate as “wrongfully detained” a Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested by Russian security services last week during a reporting trip and accused of espionage, a designation that would rev up the U.S. government’s efforts to win his release. With the official designation, supervision of Evan Gershkovich ’s case would shift to a State Department section known as the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which is focused on negotiating for the release of hostages and other Americans classified as wrongfully detained in foreign countries. The designation is expected as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the matter.

☆ Blinken Says ‘No Doubt’ Russia Has Wrongfully Detained WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Vivian Salama | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS—Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that he has “no doubt” a Wall Street Journal reporter being detained by Russia is wrongfully detained, but the process to reach an official determination on his detention is still pending. The official designation would rev up the U.S. government’s efforts to win Evan Gershkovich ’s release. Supervision of his case would then shift to a State Department section known as the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which is focused on negotiating for the release of hostages and other Americans classified as wrongfully detained in foreign countries.

[1/2] Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich appears in this handout picture taken in Moscow, Russia, 2019. The Moscow Times/Handout via REUTERSBRUSSELS/WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) - The United States is working through the process to determine whether Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's detention by Russia is "wrongful", U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, adding it would soon be completed. The Wall Street Journal has denied Gershkovich was spying. Legislation passed by Congress in 2020 lists 11 criteria to help determine whether a U.S. citizen is "wrongfully detained." The Biden administration has secured the release of at least 25 "wrongfully detained" Americans.

☆ Analysis: Russia's arrest of reporter deepens Biden's detainee challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Simon Lewis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/4] Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, detained on suspicion of espionage, leaves a court building in Moscow, Russia March 30, 2023. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a news briefing on Thursday the Whelan and Gershkovich cases should not be compared. Russia's security service has, without providing evidence, accused Gershkovich of gathering information classified as a state secret about a military factory. Biden on Friday called on Russia to release Gershkovich. The Biden administration has secured the release of at least 25 "wrongfully detained" Americans.

“The intentions, of course, were never to cross over to Venezuela, he was just accompanying her,” said Henry Martínez, Hernández’s brother. The men told Hernández that if they wanted to enter Venezuela, he had to pay $100. Hernández told them he was not trying to enter the country and did not have $100. The U.S. has not had a diplomatic presence in Caracas since 2019, so access to jailed Americans has been limited since then. “Sometimes I can hear his voice weak and just frustrated and anxious,” said Henry Martínez.

☆ Daughters of Americans imprisoned in Iran appeal to Biden for action
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The daughters of two Iranian Americans imprisoned in Iran for more than four years appealed for a face-to-face meeting with President Joe Biden and called on him to take the tough decisions necessary to bring their fathers home. Morad Tahbaz has been imprisoned in Iran since 2018. It is his duty to bring Americans home who are wrongfully detained,” Tahbaz said. She said Biden was committed to securing the release of Americans wrongfully detained overseas. The third American held in Iran, Siamak Namazi, has been imprisoned for seven years.

☆ 'I want to talk': WNBA star Brittney Griner opened up during her long trip home
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

American basketball star Brittney Griner gets out of a plane after landing at the JBSA-Kelly Field Annex runway on December 9, 2022 in San Antonio, after she was released from a Russian prison in exchange for a notorious arms dealer. WNBA star Brittney Griner didn't want any alone time as soon as she boarded a U.S. government plane that would bring her home. She then asked Carstens, referring to others on the plane: "But, first of all, who are these guys?" Ultimately, Griner spent about 12 hours of an 18-hour flight talking with others on the plane, Carstens said. "I was left with the impression this is an intelligent, passionate, compassionate, humble, interesting person, a patriotic person," Carstens said.

Hostage affairs envoy Roger Carstens told MSBNC that the president and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were personally focused on the effort to free Whelan. He told CNN the administration could soon roll out fresh sanctions under a presidential executive order signed last summer. Biden on Thursday announced a prisoner swap involving American basketball star Brittney Griner, but was unable to secure the release of Whelan. And it's not going to be too long before you see something rolled out," he told CNN. Asked what realistic options the U.S. government had to bring Whelan home, Carstens told CNN: "I would love to tell you about it, because, to me, they're very exciting and interesting.

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