The executive order “Bolstering Efforts to Bring Hostages and Wrongfully Detained United States Nationals Home” will be signed by President Joe Biden today. The criminals implicated in hostage kidnapping will be subject to financial punishment and immigration restrictions under this executive order, which codifies a 2020 law.
Public pressure to free WNBA player Brittney Griner from a Russian prison led to the executive decision. In February of this year, Griner was detained at a Russian airport on suspicion of smuggling hashish oil . In a Moscow court, Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges. If found guilty, she may face a 10-year prison sentence. The Biden administration, meanwhile, has referred to Griner’s arrest as “wrongful detention” and has informed Griner’s wife that they are working to secure Griner’s immediate release. .
The order will require government organizations to enhance communication with American families of hostages or wrongfully detained individuals . This could be achieved by exchanging intelligence regarding their loved one and the government’s efforts to release them. The White House also announced that specialists from several departments would be tasked with coming up with “options and strategies to deter future hostage-takings.”
Further, the executive order will introduce the ‘D’ indicator to the U.S Department of State’s travel advisories . This indicator is assigned to countries where there is a risk of wrongful detention by a foreign government. China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela are among the nations that will receive the “D” indicator.
This is a CIMA Law Group blog entry. CIMA Law Group is located in Arizona and specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations. If you live in Arizona and need legal assistance CIMA Law Group can help.
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