Russia’s willingness to detain a U.S. citizen in apparent retaliation for the recent case against Russian citizen Marina Butina should serve as a warning to U.S. citizens who are traveling – without the benefit of diplomatic immunity – of the risks in traveling to countries where the rule of law is dictated by geopolitical considerations. It’s a risk which current business and personal travelers should be aware of, and one that is not likely to go away in the near term.
While there is never a completely “safe” time to travel to countries like Russia or China, the examples of Whelan, Canadian citizens Michael Spevor and former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, both detained in recent weeks by Chinese authorities “on suspicion of endangering national security” should serve as a warning of just how real the risk can be.
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