Free Majd Kamalmaz, American Hostage in Syria | Pod Hostage Diplomacy

In February 2017, American psychotherapist and humanitarian Majd Kamalmaz visited Syria to offer condolences to an elderly family member in mourning. Less than 24 hours after his arrival in Damascus, his family in the US received word that he was missing. Majd was apparently detained at a Syrian government checkpoint. More than 4 years later, Majd’s family have not spoken to him, heard from him or seen him since he was detained. After the civil war in 2012, the United States suspended diplomatic ties with Syria. The US House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan resolution encouraging the State Department and other US government entities to engage with Syria to facilitate the safe release of Majd Kamalmaz. We speak to Majd’s daughter, Maryam Kamalmaz to find out how we can help bring her father back home. We discuss Majd’s humanitarian work, his enforced disappearance, proof of life, his pre-existing health conditions, the toll this has taken on the Kamalmaz family, diplomatic ties between US and Syria as well as what the US government, Congress and President of the United States, Joe Biden should do better to bring Majd Kamalmaz home. We also discuss what journalists and the public can do to help. Chapter Markers: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:48 Who is Majd Kamalmaz? 00:02:09 What happened to Majd Kamalmaz? 00:03:53 Proof of life 00:06:48 Majid’s pre-existing health conditions 00:07:34 Toll Majd’s enforced disappearance has taken on the family 00:10:49 What should the US government do better? 00:17:51 What should Congress do better? 00:19:29 What should President Biden do better? 00:20:31 What can journalists do to help? 00:21:40 What can the public do to help? 00:22:30 Keeping up to date with the Free Majd Kamalmaz campaign 00:23:13 NGOs that have supported the Kamalmaz family Pod Hostage Diplomacy works to free hostages and the unjustly detained worldwide. Together with their families, we share their stories and let you know how you can help. Host, Daren Nair has been campaigning with many of these families for years and will introduce you to some of the most courageous and resilient people among us, people who have never given up hope, people who will never stop working to reunite their families. Everything we do for the families and hostages, we do for free. We do so out of a sense of duty. We rely on financial contributions from our listeners to keep the lights on so if you would like to help us out, you can support us via PayPal here: https://paypal.me/podhostagediplomacy... Follow us on social media: Twitter:   / podhostagediplo   Facebook:   / podhostagediplomacy   Instagram:   / podhostagediplomacy   Website: https://www.podhostagediplomacy.com