Australian Kylie Moore-Gilbert’s detention in Iran since September 2018 on espionage charges may eventually be resolved through “hostage diplomacy” – but more on her situation later.
Hostage diplomacy occurs when a detaining nation is prepared to release a detained foreigner (or provide more lenient treatment) in return for concessions from the detainee’s nation. It is an asymmetric weapon of diplomacy.
A common pretext for detention of foreigners for hostage diplomacy purposes is engagement in espionage or prohibited activities.
If the person detained was engaged in espionage it is hardly likely that the detainee’s nation is going to admit that. And even if the detainee publicly confesses to espionage, the confession could have been made under duress.
To muddy the waters further, a person arrested for espionage may have been acting on behalf of a third-party nation. Israel’s Mossad is active in Iran using third-nation passport holders for espionage and agent recruitment purposes. (Israelis are banned from entering Iran and anyone with connections to Israel should definitely not travel to Iran.)
A further complicating factor comes about when a person holds dual or multiple passports. Moore-Gilbert has dual Australian and British nationality. Iranians regard Australia favourably, but are less enamoured of the UK.
Read the article by Clive Williams in The Australian.