Why Russia Keeps Kidnapping Prominent Americans

Hostage Diplomacy and the Evan Gershkovich Situation

On March 29th, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia and charged with espionage. The charges are spurious, but the intentions are clear: Evan Gershkovich is now a hostage in Russia and his release will require a delicate diplomatic balancing act. 

For the podcast today, I speak with Dr. Dani Gilbert, an academic who studies politically motivated government abductions a foreign nationals. She coined the term “hostage diplomacy” and we last spoke in June 2022 following the arrest of the American basketball star Britney Griner.

In our conversation today, we discuss the differences and similarities between the Griner case and the Gershovich situation. We also discuss what processes might lead to Gershkovich's release and how this latest wrongful detention of an American abroad fits into larger patterns around government sponsored hostage taking.  

This link will open up the my conversation with Dr. Dani Gilbert in your preferred podcast listening app. Have a …