Neda Sharghi’s Brother Was Taken By Iran. Here’s How She Fought Successfully To Bring Him Home.

In 2018, Emad Sharghi, an American citizen, was wrongfully detained and given a 10 year prison term by Iran while he was visiting family. His crime? Simply being American. It took more than five hard years to win his release. Neda Sharghi, Emad’s sister and my Amherst College classmate, has advocated tirelessly for Emad and all Americans wrongfully held abroad through high profile media appearances and meetings with US government officials, urging them to have the political courage they need to bring American detainees home alive.

In this episode, she details:

• How Emad is doing today
• The terrifying moment she learned of his having been taken captive
• The stages that families of the wrongfully detained often go through as they come to grips with the unimaginable
• The playbook she recommends to help win their release, including governmental and private resources that aid these efforts (see links below)
• The Amherst College friends who supported her through this ordeal
• How the US government’s policy and resourcing toward hostage negotiation has evolved following the execution of American journalist James Foley by ISIS in 2014
• How others can support families trying to win the release of Americans wrongfully held abroad by hostile governments or terrorist organizations

The conversation covers lighter topics, as well, including Neda’s fond memories of Amherst College, her decision to pause her career to be a full-time mom, and the Amherst classmates she’d like me to interview next.

If you, your family, or friends have a loved one who is being wrongfully detained, here are the resources Neda recommends:

• The Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/secretary-of-state/special-presidential-envoy-for-hostage-affairs/)
• Bring Our Families Home (https://www.bringourfamilieshome.org/)
• The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation (https://jamesfoleyfoundation.org/)
• Post-Isolation Support Activities (operated by the Department of Defense, as described here: https://www.c6f.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/Article/1845496/post-isolation-support-activities/)
• The official Hostages and Wrongful Detainees Flag for use in your social media (Hostages and Wrongful Detainees Flag.jpeg)