Brittney Griner may have been the highest-profile American whose detention abroad was deemed wrongful by the U.S. State Department, but she was hardly the only one: The number of American citizens unjustly or wrongfully detained by foreign governments has gone up in recent decades, researchers have found.
The State Department has not released an official tally of how many Americans are unjustly held by state actors. The number of Americans being held by foreign governments is increasing, according to researchers working for the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which advocates for both hostages and wrongful detainees and their families.
Over the last 10 years, there has been a 175 percent increase in cases of Americans being wrongfully detained, according to Cynthia T. Loertscher, director of research, hostage advocacy and government affairs for the Foley Foundation.
A State Department spokesman didn't respond immediately to an email seeking comment. In July, a senior State Department official said there were between 40 and 50 Americans being wrongfully detained by foreign governments.