Washington, D.C., May 28, 2025 – Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights today published a new guide that outlines best practices for engaging with the United States government on arbitrary and wrongful detention cases. The guide was created as a practical resource for family members of individuals who are arbitrarily detained overseas. It is designed to help people with no prior legal or advocacy experience advocate for the return of their loved one. 

The guide was written in collaboration with legal experts, civil society organizations, family members of detainees, and formerly detained individuals. It includes the U.S. legal framework around arbitrary and wrongful detention; an overview of the relevant officials, offices, and agencies; case studies and lessons learned; and specific strategies for engaging with the U.S. government.

“The global rise of authoritarianism has coincided with a dramatic increase in the arbitrary detention of U.S. nationals abroad,” said Kerry Kennedy, president of RFK Human Rights. “At RFK Human Rights, we’ve spent over a decade working on arbitrary detention cases, and we’ve witnessed firsthand the confusion, fear, and difficulty that wrongful detainees and their loved ones experience. Our hope is that this guide provides tangible help and direction for victims of arbitrary detention and their families.”

Case studies cited within the guide include Paul Rusesabagina, the real-life hero whose courage inspired the movie “Hotel Rwanda.” In 2020, Rusesabagina was kidnapped and arbitrarily detained by the Rwandan government for speaking out against the country’s president. After years of advocacy by his family, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and other civil society allies, Rusesabagina was freed in 2023. 

“Some of these cases, like Paul’s wrongful detention or Russia’s arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, have drawn international scrutiny and media attention,” said Ikechukwu Uzoma, senior staff attorney at RFK Human Rights. “Other victims of arbitrary detention are overlooked, left without headlines or global outcry. In nearly all cases, the friends and families of detained individuals shoulder the burden of public advocacy, navigating a complex legal landscape to bring their loved ones home.”

The guide also includes recommendations for the U.S. government to strengthen the legal and procedural system for arbitrary detention cases, including increased transparency around wrongful detention designations; clarity on roles and responsibilities of different officials and offices; and a more equitable application of the law.

The guide is available on rfkhumanrights.org.

About Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that has worked to realize Robert F. Kennedy’s dream of a more just and peaceful world since 1968. In partnership with local activists, we advocate for key human rights issues— championing change makers and pursuing strategic litigation at home and around the world. And to ensure change that lasts, we foster a social-good approach to business and investment and educate millions of students about human rights and social justice.