Ali Arab
Ali Arab is an influential figure in the field of hostage diplomacy and human rights. He is a board member of Hostage Aid Worldwide, an organization dedicated to the global fight against hostage-taking, particularly state-sponsored hostage diplomacy.
This troubling practice involves regimes detaining foreign nationals as leverage in political negotiations.
Hostage Aid Worldwide collaborates with former hostages, families, governments, and international organizations to tackle this issue, ensuring that hostages and their loved ones have a strong support network.
Ali Arab, in addition to his work with Hostage Aid, is also an Associate Professor of Statistics at Georgetown University.
He has actively spoken out against the use of hostages as political tools, advocating for the development of new methods and deeper collaboration between governments to address this international crisis.
Arab emphasizes the importance of solidarity and visibility in hostage cases, pushing for systemic changes to prevent such human rights violations.
Debra Tice:
She is the mother of Austin Tice, a journalist who has been missing in Syria since 2012. Austin was captured while reporting on the civil war, and his family has been advocating tirelessly for his release ever since.
Debra has become a strong voice for families of American hostages and frequently participates in public forums, raising awareness about the ongoing plight of detainees like her son.
Gazelle Sharmahd:
She is the daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-American citizen who was abducted by Iranian authorities in 2020 while traveling through the Middle East.
Jamshid was accused of terrorism by the Iranian regime and sentenced to death. Gazelle has been a vocal advocate for her father, highlighting the brutal conditions of his detention and calling for international action to secure his release.
These individuals are deeply connected to the global fight against hostage-taking and international advocacy for the release of their loved ones, often risking their safety to stand against oppressive regimes.