Shane Bauer, who was held hostage by Iran between 2009 and 2011, wants to know what the US government did to secure his release. He filed a lawsuit to find out:
For the two years that I was in prison, I wondered constantly what my government was doing to help us. I still want to know. But my interest in these records is more than personal. Innocent Americans get kidnapped, imprisoned, or held hostage in other countries from time to time. When that happens, our government must take it very seriously. These situations cannot be divorced from politics; they are often extremist reactions to our foreign policy. Currently, Americans are being detained in Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, Cuba, and other countries.
What does our government do when civilians are held hostage?
Sarah’s, Josh’s, and my family, like others in similar situations, were regularly assured by our leaders—all the way up to the Secretary of State and the President—that they were doing everything they could, but our families were rarely told what that meant. Why is this information so secret, even after the fact? It is important to know how the government deals with such crises. Is there a process by which the government decides whether or not to negotiate with another country or political group? How does it decide which citizens to negotiate for and which not to? Are the reassurances the government gives to grieving families genuine, or intended to appease them? Do branches of government cooperate with each other, or work in isolation?
Watch Shane discuss his capture and captivity in our Ask Anything series. Meanwhile, as if on cue, North Korea appears to have detained another American citizen:
The country’s state-run news agency reported that the man, identified as Jeffrey Edward Fowle, “entered the DPRK as a tourist on April 29 and acted in violation of the DPRK law, contrary to the purpose of tourism during his stay.” A Japanese news outlet, Kyodo, said he was part of a tour group and was held after leaving a bible in his hotel room.
The Dish 