Following Russia’s release of hostages in a recent prisoner exchange, a formerly held captive journalist cautioned that the real obstacles are just beginning for these individuals.
On Thursday, four individuals, including three American citizens and one green card holder, who suffered unjust imprisonment in Russia were freed in a prisoner swap: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian expressed in an opinion piece that the U.S. should enhance its efforts to assist these former captives in their “reintegration into society.” Rezaian himself endured 544 days of captivity and psychological torture at the hands of the Iranian government from 2014 to 2016, and he shared the struggles he faced upon his return home.
“After being isolated from society for months or even years, these returning hostages will encounter significant difficulties in resuming normal life,” he remarked. “When I came back from Iran in 2016 after almost a year and a half in prison, I discovered that the IRS had imposed thousands of dollars in fines on me for not filing my taxes promptly. The usual penalties had accumulated.”
TOPSHOT – Former prisoners released by Russia, US journalist Evan Gershkovich (10thL), former US marine Paul Whelan (9thL), and US-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva (8thL) pose behind a banner reading “Hostages and Wrongful Detainees, Bring Them Home” after landing at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field, Texas, on August 2, 2024.
((Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images))
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Rezaian further commented that his mental health issues exacerbated the situation.
“I was getting less than three hours of sleep per night, constantly waking from nightmares of returning to prison. During the day, I found it hard to focus, leading me to postpone addressing these issues,” he reflected.
Additionally, his wife, who was born abroad, had expired immigration documents, forcing them to restart the entire process, while his credit rating also suffered considerable setbacks.
Though those coming back from Russia may not face identical challenges, their situations could be equally severe or worse.
A plane carrying reporter Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Paul Whelan arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., following their release as part of a 24-person prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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“The U.S. government can enhance its support for the social reintegration of liberated hostages,” he asserted. “Initially, it could assign dedicated personnel to assist in resolving the accumulated burdens — from renewing expired driver’s licenses to accessing healthcare and addressing outstanding taxes and financial responsibilities.”
He acknowledged certain politicians for contributing to the solution, recalling that “In May, the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act, introduced by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), was passed unanimously by the Senate. The House should promptly approve this legislation.”
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“As a free society, we owe these victims of abuse more than our empathy and support,” he concluded. “Considerable resources were utilized to negotiate their release. It is essential to now invest further in helping them return to a normal life.”
Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum, Timothy Nerozzi, Greg Wehner, Louis Casiano, and Scott McDonald contributed to this report.
