Navalny, Gershkovich, Namazi: inside the battle to free political prisoners

Few challenges in international diplomacy are as fraught - or as urgent - as negotiating the freedom of hostages and political prisoners. In this episode, Christiane and Jamie take us inside two high-profile deals they were personally involved in: the release of Siamak Namazi from the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, and of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from Moscow. They reveal the roles they played in bringing these men home, and the keys to negotiating with dictators and authoritarian regimes. Jamie also explains how the US came agonisingly close to securing the release of Alexei Navalny before his death in a Siberian prison camp.Plus Christiane looks back on her own harrowing experiences as a foreign correspondent - recounting the times she herself was held hostage, including by the Taliban in Afghanistan and by war criminals in the Balkans - and what those ordeals taught her about survival and resilience.Contact us at: amanpourpod@global.comFor more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: https://x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

Om Podcasten

World-renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour and ex-husband Jamie Rubin, a former US State Department official, unpack today’s defining global crises. Drawing on decades of insider experience in global affairs, reporting from conflict zones, and grilling world leaders, they explain how we ended up where we are – and where we might be going. Forget about a new world order – right now, there’s no world order. From Trump and Putin to the war in Ukraine, China’s global rise, and chaos in the Middle East, geopolitics has never been more dangerous or unpredictable. The Ex Files provides unparalleled insight into the issues keeping world leaders, and the rest of us, awake at night. With searing honesty, jaw-dropping stories, and candid humour, this is the foreign policy podcast for our fractured age. They’re no longer married, but when it comes to current affairs, Christiane and Jamie still finish each other’s sentences. For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com