The WNBA superstar basketball player, Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia for the past six months, and last week, she was sentenced to nine years in prison for bringing a cannabis product into the country. Former Marine Paul Whelan has been in prison in Russia for more than three and a half years, accused by Russia of espionage, a charge he vehemently denies.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of stating publicly the US willingness to engage in a prisoner swap to return Griner and Whelan to American soil. But while Griner and Whelan are the two detainees that have drawn the most attention, there are 67 Americans who are known to be wrongfully detained in countries around the world.

Sarah Krivanek, an American school teacher, for example, has also been detained in Russia for the past 9 months. Emad Sharghi, a businessman, has been sentenced on espionage charges to 10 years in an Iranian prison. Alirio Zambrano is being detained in Venezuela. 

Today on Midday, conversations with advocates for those who are being held hostage or being detained by a government.

Tom's first guest is Diane Foley, whose son James Foley was kidnapped, tortured and killed by ISIS while covering the war in Syria ten years ago. Diane Foley started the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation in his memory to advocate for the return of journalists and other hostages.

Diane Foley joins us on Zoom from Foundation headquarters in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Then, Tom speaks with Neda Sharghi and Hannah Sharghi, the sister and daughter of Emad Sharghi about their family’s experience trying to bring their loved one home from his wrongful imprisonment in Iran, and their efforts on behalf of others through the Bring Our Families Home campaign.

Neda and Hanna Sharghi join us on Zoom from Washington, DC. 

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.