Biden signs executive order 'to bring hostages and wrongfully detained' Americans home

(Image credit: Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

published 19 July 2022

President Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at deterring the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals in foreign countries, CNBC reports.

"This executive order reflects the administration's commitment not just to the issues generally but to the families in particular and it has been informed by the government's regular engagements with them," a senior administration official said.

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Biden signed the order after facing criticism for failing to do more to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month and could face up to 10 years in Russian prison. Griner was arrested in February at an airport near Moscow after authorities reportedly discovered a vape cartridge containing cannabis in her luggage. Russian media have floated the idea of swapping Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.

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Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.

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