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Families still hope to meet Biden as first National Hostage Day flag is raised

Washington — On Saturday, the United States marks its first National Hostage and Unlawful Detainee Day. bipartisan legislation Signed by President Biden, March 9th was established as a day of remembrance for Americans wrongfully detained overseas.

The Hostage and Wrongful Detainer Day Act was introduced and ushered into Congress last year by Representatives Haley Stevens and French Hill, and Senator Chris Coons. The measure also established a flag for unjustly detained Americans and hostages, which was flown for the first time Friday morning outside the State Department. The black and yellow flag is reminiscent of America’s POW/MIA flag.

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March 8, 2024. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell holds a flag that is flown outside the State Department to commemorate National Hostage Day on March 9 each year.

State Department Flickr Account


Several former hostages and their families attended a flag-raising ceremony with State Department officials, standing alongside the families of those who remain unjustly detained overseas.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell announced during the ceremony that the flag will be flown outside the State Department every March 9. The flag will also be raised if a U.S. hostage held abroad dies or returns home.

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Diane Foley, Shiamak Namazi, and Emad Shargi from the State Department; March 8, 2024.

Camila Thicke


Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed to have a card in his pocket with a list of dozens of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained, and in a video speech before the flag raising, he said, “46 names will be erased.” I was able to do it,” he announced. It has been on that list for the past three years.

“Roger gave me his own card. It’s laminated. I’m going to carry it with me all the time,” Campbell told the audience, referring to Roger Carstens, the presidential special envoy for hostage affairs. .

The new flag is one of three flags allowed to fly outside federal buildings, in addition to the American flag and the POW/MIA flag, Carstens told CBS News while standing under the flag. He said it was one.

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State Department hostage families. March 8, 2024

Camila Thicke


March 9th has special meaning for the family of one hostage in particular.

“March 9th is the anniversary of my father’s disappearance,” said his daughter Sarah Levinson Moriarty. robert levinson, who disappeared in Iran in 2007 and became the longest-serving American hostage in history. In March 2020, U.S. officials told the Levinson family they had received information indicating that Robert had died in captivity in Iran.

“For the past 17 years, this day has been a scary one for us. As we used this day to raise awareness and advocate for the codification of the national flag, we took this opportunity to truly We turned a negative day into a positive day for this country,” Levinson-Moriarty said. CBS News.

Levinson-Moriarty said the flag is displayed on three days a year: Hostage Day (March 9), Flag Day (June 14), July 4, and when hostages die overseas or return home. It is said that it can sometimes be raised.

“For my father, that his suffering and pain was not in vain, and that our family and our country were able to take what happened to him and turn it into something that would help others prevent it. “It would be meaningful to know,” she said. Added.

The flag was designed by David Ewald, a professor in the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. He told CBS News that families of those who were wrongfully detained helped create the distinctive yellow and black design, with two rows of tally marks running down the center to remind detainees of the passage of time. Told. Ewald said he never thought he would actually see the flag flying, describing it as a “heavyweight”.

After the flag-raising ceremony, many families headed to Lafayette Square in front of the White House to stage a sit-in. This was one of several protests held on the doorstep by the grassroots group Bring Families Home to put pressure on the president. We will meet with them and urge the government to do more to bring their loved ones home.

“When my father was taken away, [President Biden] “He was vice president. It’s been a really long time,” said Harrison Lee, the 61-year-old son of Kai Li, who has been unjustly detained in China since 2012.

Kai Lee He is one of three Americans, along with Mark Swidan and David Lin, unjustly detained in China. Harrison Lee serves as co-chair. bring your family homeThe organization was formed shortly after the president met in March 2022 with the parents of Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was captured in Russia in 2019. Mr. Reed was released in a prisoner exchange. 1 month laterThis has led some families of other hostages to wonder if they are being treated specially by the U.S. government.

“All the China cases are very long-term cases. I know there are people who are trying, but the real hurdle is there’s a lot of disagreement and bureaucracy,” said Harrison Lee. I think so,” he said. “My feeling is that there are a lot of people who don’t really know what to do or how to approach these cases, and that leads to a lot of deadlock. That’s another reason why we’re just trying to solve the problem.” Meeting the president might help break the deadlock. ”

He added: “If we can get Trevor Reed and Brittney Greiner out of Russia during the Ukraine situation, you can imagine getting Americans out of China, especially now that we’re trying to strengthen our relationship with China.” ” he said. America”

Mr. Lee’s predecessor at Bring Our Families Home was Neda Shargi, whose brother Emad Shargi was detained for many years in Iran.Neda Shargi buttonholes the president at a crowded White House Persian New Year party In March 2023After months of unsuccessful attempts by his family to receive visits, Emad was released in a prisoner exchange with Iran. a few months later, along with fellow Americans Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, and two others who requested anonymity. The Biden administration also helped provide $6 billion in restricted Iranian oil revenues to the Tehran regime.

Families of those involved in the recent hostage crisis – Israeli-Americans held by the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip – met with lawmakers, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and others at the Capitol on Wednesday. did.They were invited to meet the president in person. December, weeks after his family was taken hostage. It was a relatively short period of time for the families of hostages taken in other countries. Six U.S. dual citizens are still missing, including Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Cheng, Yidan Alexander, Hersh Goldberg-Pollin, Omer Neutra, and Itai Chen. ing. CIA Director Bill Burns in doha on friday It is pressing for a deal between Hamas and Israel to release more than 40 hostages in exchange for a six-week cessation of violence and a surge in aid to Gaza.

On Thursday, several family members of Americans unjustly detained overseas were invited by lawmakers to the president’s State of the Union address, including first lady Anna Corbett. Ryan Corbett currently in custody By the Afghan Taliban. Harrison Lee was also invited.

“I wanted to be there,” Lee told CBS News. “I wanted to go out and hopefully meet the people who could help me get to the president. Or maybe even meet the president himself.” Told.

The family of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich also attended as guests of the first lady on Thursday night, as President Biden mentioned Evan and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who were captured in Russia. did.

Paul Whelan has been detained in Russia since 2018. His brother, David Whelan, said the government has made progress in dealing with the American hostages.

“When Paul was arrested, there was no infrastructure, no support for his family, no overt action by the U.S. government or the State Department or anyone else. So we’ve come a long way from that,” David said. Whelan told CBS News. “We are now beginning to see concrete evidence that the U.S. government is attempting to address this hostage situation.”

Mr. Biden has met twice with the Whelan family. September 2022,and January.

“I think the families of hostages and detainees have the right to request access to the president. I think the U.S. government, the State Department, and especially the White House, should take a hard look at how they handle family cases. ”Because whether they meant to treat them special or not, they actually do. ”

“At the same time, obviously Elizabeth[Paul’s sister]had the privilege of speaking to the president twice, but Paul’s case shows that talking to the president doesn’t actually bring someone home. I think that’s a really good example.”

“I think our government has always said this kind of thing is a top priority,” Sarah Levinson Moriarty said. “But what better way to show that than to actually meet these families, hold their hands, and tell them that the U.S. government is doing everything we can to end their suffering.”

—Margaret Brennan and Andrew Bast contributed to this report.

Summarize this content to 100 words Washington — On Saturday, the United States marks its first National Hostage and Unlawful Detainee Day. bipartisan legislation Signed by President Biden, March 9th was established as a day of remembrance for Americans wrongfully detained overseas. The Hostage and Wrongful Detainer Day Act was introduced and ushered into Congress last year by Representatives Haley Stevens and French Hill, and Senator Chris Coons. The measure also established a flag for unjustly detained Americans and hostages, which was flown for the first time Friday morning outside the State Department. The black and yellow flag is reminiscent of America’s POW/MIA flag.

March 8, 2024. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell holds a flag that is flown outside the State Department to commemorate National Hostage Day on March 9 each year.

State Department Flickr Account

Several former hostages and their families attended a flag-raising ceremony with State Department officials, standing alongside the families of those who remain unjustly detained overseas.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell announced during the ceremony that the flag will be flown outside the State Department every March 9. The flag will also be raised if a U.S. hostage held abroad dies or returns home.

Diane Foley, Shiamak Namazi, and Emad Shargi from the State Department; March 8, 2024.

Camila Thicke

Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed to have a card in his pocket with a list of dozens of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained, and in a video speech before the flag raising, he said, “46 names will be erased.” I was able to do it,” he announced. It has been on that list for the past three years.

“Roger gave me his own card. It’s laminated. I’m going to carry it with me all the time,” Campbell told the audience, referring to Roger Carstens, the presidential special envoy for hostage affairs. .The new flag is one of three flags allowed to fly outside federal buildings, in addition to the American flag and the POW/MIA flag, Carstens told CBS News while standing under the flag. He said it was one.

State Department hostage families. March 8, 2024

Camila Thicke

March 9th has special meaning for the family of one hostage in particular.”March 9th is the anniversary of my father’s disappearance,” said his daughter Sarah Levinson Moriarty. robert levinson, who disappeared in Iran in 2007 and became the longest-serving American hostage in history. In March 2020, U.S. officials told the Levinson family they had received information indicating that Robert had died in captivity in Iran.

“For the past 17 years, this day has been a scary one for us. As we used this day to raise awareness and advocate for the codification of the national flag, we took this opportunity to truly We turned a negative day into a positive day for this country,” Levinson-Moriarty said. CBS News.Levinson-Moriarty said the flag is displayed on three days a year: Hostage Day (March 9), Flag Day (June 14), July 4, and when hostages die overseas or return home. It is said that it can sometimes be raised.“For my father, that his suffering and pain was not in vain, and that our family and our country were able to take what happened to him and turn it into something that would help others prevent it. “It would be meaningful to know,” she said. Added.The flag was designed by David Ewald, a professor in the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. He told CBS News that families of those who were wrongfully detained helped create the distinctive yellow and black design, with two rows of tally marks running down the center to remind detainees of the passage of time. Told. Ewald said he never thought he would actually see the flag flying, describing it as a “heavyweight”.After the flag-raising ceremony, many families headed to Lafayette Square in front of the White House to stage a sit-in. This was one of several protests held on the doorstep by the grassroots group Bring Families Home to put pressure on the president. We will meet with them and urge the government to do more to bring their loved ones home.”When my father was taken away, [President Biden] “He was vice president. It’s been a really long time,” said Harrison Lee, the 61-year-old son of Kai Li, who has been unjustly detained in China since 2012.Kai Lee He is one of three Americans, along with Mark Swidan and David Lin, unjustly detained in China. Harrison Lee serves as co-chair. bring your family homeThe organization was formed shortly after the president met in March 2022 with the parents of Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was captured in Russia in 2019. Mr. Reed was released in a prisoner exchange. 1 month laterThis has led some families of other hostages to wonder if they are being treated specially by the U.S. government.

“All the China cases are very long-term cases. I know there are people who are trying, but the real hurdle is there’s a lot of disagreement and bureaucracy,” said Harrison Lee. I think so,” he said. “My feeling is that there are a lot of people who don’t really know what to do or how to approach these cases, and that leads to a lot of deadlock. That’s another reason why we’re just trying to solve the problem.” Meeting the president might help break the deadlock. ”He added: “If we can get Trevor Reed and Brittney Greiner out of Russia during the Ukraine situation, you can imagine getting Americans out of China, especially now that we’re trying to strengthen our relationship with China.” ” he said. America”Mr. Lee’s predecessor at Bring Our Families Home was Neda Shargi, whose brother Emad Shargi was detained for many years in Iran.Neda Shargi buttonholes the president at a crowded White House Persian New Year party In March 2023After months of unsuccessful attempts by his family to receive visits, Emad was released in a prisoner exchange with Iran. a few months later, along with fellow Americans Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, and two others who requested anonymity. The Biden administration also helped provide $6 billion in restricted Iranian oil revenues to the Tehran regime.Families of those involved in the recent hostage crisis – Israeli-Americans held by the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip – met with lawmakers, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and others at the Capitol on Wednesday. did.They were invited to meet the president in person. December, weeks after his family was taken hostage. It was a relatively short period of time for the families of hostages taken in other countries. Six U.S. dual citizens are still missing, including Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Cheng, Yidan Alexander, Hersh Goldberg-Pollin, Omer Neutra, and Itai Chen. ing. CIA Director Bill Burns in doha on friday It is pressing for a deal between Hamas and Israel to release more than 40 hostages in exchange for a six-week cessation of violence and a surge in aid to Gaza.On Thursday, several family members of Americans unjustly detained overseas were invited by lawmakers to the president’s State of the Union address, including first lady Anna Corbett. Ryan Corbett currently in custody By the Afghan Taliban. Harrison Lee was also invited.”I wanted to be there,” Lee told CBS News. “I wanted to go out and hopefully meet the people who could help me get to the president. Or maybe even meet the president himself.” Told.The family of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich also attended as guests of the first lady on Thursday night, as President Biden mentioned Evan and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who were captured in Russia. did.

Paul Whelan has been detained in Russia since 2018. His brother, David Whelan, said the government has made progress in dealing with the American hostages. “When Paul was arrested, there was no infrastructure, no support for his family, no overt action by the U.S. government or the State Department or anyone else. So we’ve come a long way from that,” David said. Whelan told CBS News. “We are now beginning to see concrete evidence that the U.S. government is attempting to address this hostage situation.”Mr. Biden has met twice with the Whelan family. September 2022,and January.”I think the families of hostages and detainees have the right to request access to the president. I think the U.S. government, the State Department, and especially the White House, should take a hard look at how they handle family cases. ”Because whether they meant to treat them special or not, they actually do. ” “At the same time, obviously Elizabeth[Paul’s sister]had the privilege of speaking to the president twice, but Paul’s case shows that talking to the president doesn’t actually bring someone home. I think that’s a really good example.””I think our government has always said this kind of thing is a top priority,” Sarah Levinson Moriarty said. “But what better way to show that than to actually meet these families, hold their hands, and tell them that the U.S. government is doing everything we can to end their suffering.” —Margaret Brennan and Andrew Bast contributed to this report.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/families-biden-first-national-hostage-day/ Families still hope to meet Biden as first National Hostage Day flag is raised

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