Daren Nair
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darennair.bsky.social
Daren Nair
@darennair.bsky.social
Security consultant and host of Pod Hostage Diplomacy. Working to free hostages and the unjustly detained around the world.
https://www.darennair.com/
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Pod Hostage Diplomacy works to free hostages and the unjustly detained around the world. Together with their families, we share their stories and let you know how you can help bring them home.
www.podhostagediplomacy.com

Watch our video below to learn who we are and what we do:
youtu.be/bQj_ux9hL18
Who we are and what we do | Pod Hostage Diplomacy
YouTube video by POD HOSTAGE DIPLOMACY
youtu.be
France will file a case at the World Court on Friday against Iran for violating the right to consular protection.

The purpose is to pressure #Iran over the detention of two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, held captive for 3 years.

www.reuters.com/world/france...
France to file case against Iran over citizens' detention
France will file a case at the World Court on Friday against Iran for violating the right to consular protection, foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said on Thursday, a bid to pressure Iran over the detention of two French citizens.
www.reuters.com
May 15, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Australians will go to the polls on 3 May 2025 to vote for their next government. Who will become the next Australian Prime Minister?

Who will bring home Australian citizen Robert Pether who has been wrongfully imprisoned in #Iraq since 7 April 2021? #FreeRobertPether
April 17, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Today marks 4 years since Australian citizen and Irish resident, Robert Pether has been wrongfully imprisoned in Iraq.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has called for his immediate release.

The Australian Gov must #FreeRobertPether now.
www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-n...
Irish wife of man locked up in Iraqi prison tells of pain on fourth anniversary
Construction engineer Robert Pether was jailed in Baghdad in 2021, with his wife, Roscommon native Desree Pether, saying her family "are facing the fact we may never see him again"
www.irishmirror.ie
April 7, 2025 at 2:52 PM
The American children of a British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds held captive by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime appealed Wednesday to President Trump in a video, asking for his help in securing their release.

www.cbsnews.com/news/america...
American children of British couple in Taliban captivity appeal directly to Trump
Britons Peter and Barbie Reynolds, both in their 70s, were detained by the Taliban on Feb. 1.
www.cbsnews.com
April 4, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Faye Hall, a US citizen detained in #Afghanistan in February by the Taliban administration has been released. Hall was arrested together with a British couple, Barbie and Peter Reynolds.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
US citizen detained in Afghanistan by Taliban released to Qatari embassy
Faye Hall had been detained since February along with a British couple before a court order led to her release
www.theguardian.com
March 29, 2025 at 8:23 PM
George Glezmann, an American citizen who has spent more than two years in detention in Afghanistan was released on Thursday, and is now on his way to the United States, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/03/...
George Glezmann, US citizen detained by Taliban in Afghanistan is freed in deal mediated by Qatar | CNN
George Glezmann, an American citizen who has spent more than two years in detention in Afghanistan was released on Thursday and is now on his way to the United States, a source with knowledge of the s...
amp.cnn.com
March 20, 2025 at 4:50 PM
French citizen, Olivier Grondeau who was held hostage in #Iran for 887 days has been freed and is now back home. Sadly, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris were left behind. I’m so happy for Olivier and his family and hope Cecile and Jacques are freed soon too.
March 20, 2025 at 7:53 AM
“As the battle continues to secure Mr Pether's release, his family now say they will have to sell their home, due to mounting legals bills, estimated to be in the region of €120,000.”
#FreeRobertPether

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...
Irish family fight for release of father detained in Iraq
The Irish family of an Australian man who had been living in Co Roscommon are fighting for his release after he was detained in Iraq for almost four years accused of stealing money from a project to r...
www.rte.ie
March 16, 2025 at 11:26 AM
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture has released a report on hostage-taking as a form or torture. I had the privilege of making a submission on this topic to the Special Rapporteur which she has cited in her report.

www.ohchr.org/en/documents...
A/HRC/58/55: Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: hostage-taking as torture - Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatm...
SummaryIn the present report, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, addresses the crime of hostage‑taking from the perspe...
www.ohchr.org
March 16, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Two British pensioners, Peter Reynolds (79) and his wife, Barbie (75) being held in Afghanistan since last month have been moved to a maximum-security prison and separated by the Taliban.

Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle called it a "shocking escalation"

www.thetimes.com/world/asia/a...
UK pensioners captured by Taliban being held in separate prisons
Peter and Barbie Reynolds were detained last month in Bamyan, along with an American friend, and taken to Kabul
www.thetimes.com
March 16, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Watch the story of how the United States government secured the release of 7 Americans wrongfully detained in Venezuela on 1 October 2022.
takenoprisoners.media
TAKE NO PRISONERS
Take No Prisoners, a feature documentary premiering at SXSW 2025, delves into the secretive, high-stakes world of hostage rescues, following America’s top envoy as he races to free a young attorney he...
takenoprisoners.media
March 9, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Safeguard Defenders has released its new handbook ‘Missing in China’ today in response to the growing number of foreign citizens arbitrarily detained in the authoritarian country.
safeguarddefenders.com/en/blog/miss...
March 9, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Dutch citizen, Cees Ljunberg who worked as a tour guide in #Iran has been released from Tehran’s Evin Prison after serving five years of a 10-year sentence, in what appears to be a prisoner swap between both countries.

iranwire.com/en/news/1393...
Dutch Tour Guide Released from Iranian Prison in Apparent Prisoner Swap
Dutch citizen Cees Ljunberg has been released from Tehran’s Evin Prison after serving five years of a 10-year sentence, IranWire has lea ...
iranwire.com
February 24, 2025 at 7:47 PM
The Taliban said it will endeavour to release two British nationals, Peter Reynolds, 79 and wife, Barbie, 75 who have been detained in Afghanistan "as soon as possible".

An American national and an Afghan were also arrested alongside the couple.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Taliban says it will try to release British couple as soon as possible
Peter and Barbie Reynolds, both in their 70s, were arrested by the Taliban in early February.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
A British couple Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75 have been arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Since 2009 they have been running training projects in five schools in Kabul and one project in Bamiyan training mothers and children.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
British couple in their 70s arrested by Taliban
Peter and Barbie Reynolds were returning to their home in Bamiyan on 1 February when they were detained
www.bbc.co.uk
February 23, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Dear UK journalists,

There are currently 4 British citizens held hostage in #Iran:
(1) Craig Foreman
(2) Lindsay Foreman
(3) Mehran Raoof
(4) Nasrin Roshan

I hope our government brings all 4 of them home.
www.iranintl.com/en/202406022...
200 Days in Evin: British-Iranian Woman Jailed for Protesting
Nasrin Roshan, a British-Iranian citizen and political prisoner, has been detained in Iran for over 200 days and is serving a three-year prison sentence in Evin Prison.
www.iranintl.com
February 19, 2025 at 10:17 PM
UK-based lawyers for Hong Kong activist, Jimmy Lai have spoken out about being targeted by the Chinese state and its supporters in a campaign of intimidation including surveillance, hacking of bank accounts and rape threats.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
UK-based lawyers for Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai targeted by Chinese state
Exclusive: Barristers at Doughty Street Chambers say they have been subject to surveillance, hacking and rape threats
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2025 at 2:26 PM
"Yes, we're aware of the risks," she wrote.

"But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
British couple held in Iran named as family urge safe return
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were travelling through Iran as part of a motorbike trip across the world.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 15, 2025 at 2:25 PM
British couple held in #Iran named as Craig and Lindsay Foreman. The couple, in their early 50s, who were on a trip across the world on motorbikes, were arrested in January.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
British couple held in Iran named as family urge safe return
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were travelling through Iran as part of a motorbike trip across the world.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 15, 2025 at 2:24 PM
American Ryan Corbett held in Afghanistan has been freed!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
US trades Taliban prisoner for American detainees Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty - BBC News
Two Americans held by the Taliban were exchanged for an Afghan imprisoned in the US on narco-terrorism charges.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 21, 2025 at 5:14 PM
NGO worker Alberto Trentini, 45, was arrested in Venezuela in November but no formal charges have been pressed against him, his family has said, urging Rome's government to maximise efforts for his release.

#FreeAlbertoTrentini

www.reuters.com/world/italy-...
Italy protests to Venezuela over arrest of NGO worker
Italy summoned Venezuela's chief diplomat in Rome on Wednesday to protest over a lack of information on the fate of an Italian national arrested in the Latin American country two months ago, the foreign ministry said.
www.reuters.com
January 16, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Italian aid worker arrested in Venezuela, no news of Alberto Trentini for two months
#FreeAlbertoTrentini

www.unionesarda.it/en/world/aid...
Aid worker arrested in Venezuela, no news of Alberto Trentini for two months - L'Unione Sarda English
Dramatic appeal from the family: "The government must intervene". The young Venetian is detained without any charges
www.unionesarda.it
January 16, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Please sign this petition calling on French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Massoud Pezechkian to free the following 3 French citizens held hostage in Iran:

(1) Cécile Kohler
(2) Jacques Paris
(3) Olivier Grondeau

www.change.org/p/pour-la-li...
Sign the Petition
Pour la libération de Cécile, Jacques et Olivier, otages en Iran
www.change.org
January 14, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Nahid Taghavi is free!!!!!

German citizen Nahid Taghavi who was held hostage in #Iran since 16 October 2020 is now free and back home in Germany!!!

I am so happy for Nahid and her daughter, Mariam Claren who is one of the best and most resilient campaigners I’ve ever seen.

I am so happy 😃
January 13, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Here’s Italy most likely making a concession to #Iran for the release of Italian journalist, Cecilia Sala #HostageDiplomacy

www.france24.com/en/europe/20...
Italy frees Iranian held on US warrant days after release of journalist held in Tehran
Italy’s justice minister on Sunday asked an appeals court to revoke the arrest of an Iranian citizen wanted by the US over a 2024 drone attack in Jordan that killed three Americans. Mohammad Abedini's...
www.france24.com
January 12, 2025 at 7:57 PM