On June 26, 2024, TSC Research Fellow Stephanie Foggett participated in the event ‘Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations: Building Global Solidarity’, co-hosted by Canada, Belgium, and Argentina on the margins of the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. The side event set out to increase awareness of state hostage-taking and highlight how it is an egregious violation of human rights and the principles of international law. “The Canadian-led initiative on arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations is a welcome addition in the face of a human rights tragedy that has affected individuals from across the world, and one that demands both greater attention and action,” said Ms. Foggett in her remarks.
The event was moderated by Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations in Geneva, and included opening remarks from Dr. Julie Sunday, Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister for Consular, Security, and Emergency Management and Senior Official for Hostage Affairs. Also on the panel were Dr. Matthew Gillett, Chair Rapporteur with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Ms. Lara Symons, Chief Executive of Hostage International, Mr. Olivier Vandecasteele, Founder of ‘Protect Humanitarians’ Initiative, and Dr. Shaheen Sardar Ali, Member of the Independent International Panel on Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations. Closing remarks were provided by Ambassador Carlos Mario Foradori, Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations in Geneva.
In her intervention, Ms. Foggett shared findings from The Soufan Center’s report Citizens for Leverage: Navigating State Hostage-Taking in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape, co-authored with TSC Senior Research Fellow Vina Nadjibulla.