In hostage diplomacy, it is often the hostage takers who pay

Detaining foreigners to extract concessions from the government of their country of origin presents dangers for both parties, but above all, perhaps surprisingly , for hostage takers.

< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The release of Brittney Griner, nearly a year after her arrest by Russian authorities, once again forces a tough question in Washington and other capitals. What is the least bad option when faced with hostage diplomacy?

This practice, which has become somewhat widespread in recent years, consists of imprisoning a foreigner, generally for false or exaggerated reasons. charges, in an effort to extract concessions from that person's government.

For the victim's government, giving in risks encouraging hostile states to take more of hostages. But holding on prolongs the hostage's suffering and sends the message that citizens abroad cannot rely on their governments to do whatever it takes to protect them.

And both options invite inner reaction, either from furious hawks at appearing to acquiesce to a foreign adversary, or from citizens angry at seeing one of their own, in the case of Ms. Griner, a star of beloved basketball, left to rot in a distant cell.

But the release of Mrs. Griner, for which Moscow secured the return of arms dealer Viktor Bout , perhaps raises a similar question among Russian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean authorities who have continued this practice.

This question: hostage diplomacy works- does she? Or will the damage to diplomatic relations, global reputation and tourism revenue of the hostage country end up exceeding the value of any narrow concessions obtained?

ImageBrittney Griner arriving in San Antonio Friday. His release from Russian custody was accomplished through a prisoner exchange involving arms dealer Viktor Bout.Credit...Eric Gay/Associated Press

In the case involving Ms. Griner, it may be too early to tell. Any diplomatic or economic damage she caused to Russia is hard to distinguish from that caused by her invasion of Ukraine and confrontation with the West.

And Moscow's initial demands are unknown, making it unclear whether Mr. Bout's return represents a triumph or a disappointment. Although highly publicized, Mr. Bout had been off duty since his arrest in 2008 and was already due for release in 2029.

Recent history of hostage diplomacy suggests that its effectiveness is at best uncertain. It just means hostile governments won't be tempted to try it anyway, especially in times of desperation. But it may help explain why it remains, compared to the millions of Westerners abroad, uncommon. has been a modern mass media to publicize the plight of the victims. This is what gives the practice its bite, creating political pressure within the targeted country, making the fate of a single citizen a top priority.

But this remained rare for most of the modern era. All governments have an incentive to treat foreign visitors fairly, if only to ensure that their own citizens receive similar treatment abroad.

In a 1967-69 episode sometimes called ...