The McCain Institute’s John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FPPI) commends the landmark executive order from the White House formally recognizing and penalizing states that engage in wrongful detention of U.S. citizens as a means of political leverage. This long overdue executive order establishes a new “state sponsors of wrongful detention” framework — equipping the U.S. Department of State with sanctions, travel restrictions, and other measures designed to transform deterrence into action. By holding perpetrators directly accountable, the executive order signals that hostage diplomacy will no longer be tolerated.
“I am grateful to see the Trump Administration’s new executive order creating a ‘state sponsor of wrongful detention’ designation that can be levied against those who would take our citizens unjustly,” said Ambassador Roger D. Carstens, inaugural Senior Distinguished Fellow of the John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative and former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA). “This executive order starts to codify the very tools we have long advocated for—tools that for the first time make wrongful detention a strategic liability for any state. We’ve moved from response to prevention; now, with sanctions and designations in place, deterrence is real—and it’s backed by the full force of U.S. policy. We need to keep doing more to impose even harsher deterrence on countries who dare to wrongfully take Americans and hold them hostage.”
The executive order provides the option of designating a state as a “sponsor of wrongful detention” when there is a pattern of that state wrongfully detaining foreign nationals of third-party nations. The deployment of this tool will aid in negotiations for the release of those unjustly and wrongfully detained and deter future hostage-taking by rogue nations.
“For too long, there have been virtually no consequences for states that wrongfully detain American citizens,” said Pedro Pizano, Director of the John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative at the McCain Institute. “With this executive order, the United States is finally drawing a line in the sand. By imposing punitive measures and travel restrictions on offending nations, the U.S. is sending an unmistakable message: hostage diplomacy will no longer be tolerated. This decisive and unprecedented action transforms deterrence from concept into policy.”
“We have watched in horror as the practice of taking American citizens hostage as political leverage has not only escalated but run rampant by the acts of many rogue nations,” said Sarah Moriarty, member of the FPPI Advisory Board. “Today at least 30 American citizens are being wrongfully detained abroad in countries including Iran, Venezuela, Eritrea, Syria and Afghanistan.”
“Our father, Robert Levinson, was wrongfully detained by the Iranian government and ultimately died in Iranian custody after years in captivity,” continued Moriarty. “This must never happen again. Every government guilty of this barbaric conduct must understand that they will be held accountable and will pay a price backed by the full force of the United States government. We are incredibly grateful to President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Adam Boehler, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, Kash Patel, members of Congress, and all involved for making this issue a true priority for this administration, and for sending such a powerful message to stop hostage taking. All those who are wrongfully detained must be restored to their families.”
To learn more about the McCain Institute’s John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative, visit www.mccaininstitute.org/fppi/.
To learn more about the executive order, view a fact sheet from the White House HERE.