LEFT BEHIND: LEGAL AND POLICY PATHS FOR IRAN’S HOSTAGES - The Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East Programs hosted a hybrid panel discussion about wrongful detention in the Islamic Republic of Iran, how the United States and Europe handle such cases, and the impact that they have on current and former hostages as well as their families. The conversation featured US officials, legal experts, and families of current and former detainees, and former hostages. This event was held via Zoom and in-person on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 9:00 AM ET.

State-sponsored hostage-taking is a global problem, yet its prevalence in the Islamic Republic of Iran specifically demands greater attention. Especially given the political rationale commonly behind these detentions, many hostages are not being held for crimes committed, but for political conditions for which they bear no responsibility. Iranian hostages—many of whom are kept in poor detention conditions, denied legal counsel, and subjected to mental and physical torture—usually have no connection to the charges made against them. The United States has undergone several changes to its hostage policy in recent years, and the United Kingdom and other European countries are exploring changes, but further discussion is necessary to determine the best way forward for prevention and accountability strategies.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 07/12/22