Russia's arrest of reporter raises questions about tradeoffs in prisoner swaps
Media advocacy is "crucial" for American detainees overseas, one expert said. When President Joe Biden was asked Friday what his message was to Russia over the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich this week, he replied, "Let him go." And as has become routine, there was public outcry for the American's release. But how to handle what some call "hostage taking" can be much trickier to deal with than issuing simple warnings and pleas. That's especially true when political pressure builds at home to free an individual -- versus the broader national interest in not giving in to the "leverage" critics say Russia is seeking. The process of bringing back an American detained overseas can take months or even years. Journalist Evan Gershkovich in a photo taken on July 24, 2021. Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images While at least 67 Americans were detained unjustly overseas as of July 2022, according to the James W. Foley Legacy...