The New York Times Quotes Ryan Fayhee on Monumental Hostage Exchange
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Akin Washington D.C. based partner Ryan Fayhee speaks to The New York Times following the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War. The article delves into the potential emergence of a “new era of hostage diplomacy,” and draws on Ryan’s experience representing several Americans who have been designated as wrongfully detained by nation states and designated terrorist organizations.
It’s a “vast oversimplification for people to say that we can’t rescue Americans wrongly detained abroad because it will incentivize further hostage taking,” says Ryan who adds there’s a need for more public education on travel risks and for an “effective way of punishing ‘any country that wants to conduct its foreign policy through hostage taking.’”
The August 1st exchange involved a 24-person prisoner swap between the U.S., its Western allies, and Russia. Among those who returned to U.S. soil were three wrongfully detained prisoners, including Paul Whelan, a former Marine held by Russia since 2018. In a public statement, the Whelan family acknowledged Ryan’s dedication to Paul throughout his 2,043 days of captivity and his unwavering commitment to securing Paul’s release.
“The family of a hostage is isolated, and it can be hard to know who can help and who to trust. We will never be able to adequately thank Ryan Fayhee for making contact back in January 2019 and his subsequent support. Ryan volunteered his expertise, providing strategic insights and wise counsel because he cared about a fellow American...There are no words to express what Ryan’s courage, self-sacrifice, and kindness has meant to our family.”
