ABA - American Bar Association
02/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/17/2026 11:11
Wrongful detention of Americans, hostage diplomacy to top ABA national security luncheon on March 5
February 17, 2026
Wrongful detention of Americans, hostage diplomacy to top ABA national security luncheon on March 5
Share:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2026 - Journalist Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post correspondent in Tehran who spent 544 days unjustly imprisoned by Iranian authorities, and David Bowker, the lawyer who helped represent him and win his release from custody, will speak at an American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security luncheon from noon-1:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 5, at The Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C.
An uptick in the concern of hostage diplomacy and the wrongful detention of Americans, including civilians and journalists for political leverage, has surfaced as a major and grave threat to national security, the rule of law and freedom of the press.
The conversation will explore the importance of the rule of law in national security measures and the challenges faced by journalists daily to keep the public aware of issues around the world. Rezaian is now the director of Press Freedom Initiatives at The Washington Post, where he works to promote global press freedom and advocate for the rights of journalists. Bowker is the partner-in-charge of WilmerHale in Washington, D.C. and chair of its International Litigation practice.
What:
Conversation with journalist Jason Rezaian and lawyer David Bower
Sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security
When:
Thursday, March 5
Noon-1:30 p.m. EST
Where:
The Army and Navy Club
901 17th Street, NW
Washington, D.C.
This event is free and open to the media, however there is a $40 cost for lunch. For media credentialing and registration, please contact Betsy Adeboyejo at [email protected].
Check out podcasts by the Standing Committee on Law and National Security:
News Roundup: Foreign Financing, Defense AI and Synthetic Biology Risks
NSLT Ep. 127, The Insurrection Act Today with William Banks and Harvey Rishikof
ABA - American Bar Association published this content on February 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 17, 2026 at 17:11 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]