Ryan Fayhee Interviewed by MSNBC, CBS, ABC and Newsweek About His Pro Bono Work on Behalf of Paul Whelan and Other Wrongfully Detained Americans
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Akin Washington D.C- based partner Ryan Fayhee spoke with MSNBC's “Andrea Mitchell Reports", CBS News' “America Decides”, ABC News and Newsweek about his extensive behind-the-scenes efforts to secure the release of Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine unlawfully detained by Russia for over five years. Ryan characterized Paul’s arrest in late 2018 as a pivotal moment in “a new era of hostage diplomacy,” telling Newsweek, “Paul was exploited time and time again. The Russians were using Paul as a pawn to divide Americans and further their own aims at our expense.”
Speaking with Newsweek, Ryan emphasized the importance of policymakers focusing on several critical questions to protect U.S. citizens traveling abroad. He asked, “What are we going to do as a country to make this less of a valuable tool for nation-state adversaries, and how do we disincentivize people from using American citizens as pawns to achieve their own foreign policy interests?” Ryan reiterated to MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell that these are crucial areas the government must address “to ensure there is never a Paul Whelan again.”
On CBS News, Ryan also explored ways the U.S. government could establish a “system of deterrence,” including an expedited process for the State Department to designate prisoners as wrongfully detained, which would increase internal pressure to prioritize such cases. He noted that the government is considering this adjustment along with mechanisms for enhanced education about the dangers of certain types of travel for American citizens.
Ryan, who has worked closely with the families of several wrongfully detained Americans, told Newsweek that his initial focus during Paul’s detention was on “profile raising, ensuring that the White House, the State Department, and the National Security Council were prioritizing and considering this issue in every possible way.”
For more on Ryan’s pro bono efforts on behalf of the Whelan family: https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/press-releases/ryan-fayhees-pro-bono-efforts-help-secure-release-of-former-marine-unlawfully-detained-by-russia.
