The United States will impose sanctions against governments that imprison their citizens without just cause

President Joe Biden on Tuesday paved the way for sanctions against governments that unjustly imprison Americans. and ordered more detailed travel warnings after a series of high-profile arrests.

Biden signed an executive order billed as expanding the toolkit for the US government in which Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said it was a “relentless” effort to free citizens abroad.

“When Americans are taken abroad as captives, we must do everything in our power to secure their release,” Blinken said in a statement.

The measurement occurs after a extensive media coverage of Russian basketball star Brittney Griner’s arrest on drug chargeswhose wife initially said that Biden was not doing enough.

The executive order authorizes the government agencies to impose financial sanctions or travel bans on foreign officials or non-state actors involved in the wrongful detention of Americans.

“The use of sanctions may not always help secure someone’s release, so we will be judicious and strategic in our use of this authority.”a US official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

“But the families of those detained know better the cases of their loved onesand we intend to hear from them, listen to their good ideas and listen to their recommendations,” he said.

The State Department, in its travel advisories for Americans, also will begin to highlight in which nations there is a heightened risk of wrongful detention.

The initial group of nations that will lead a mark “D” for risk of arrest it will be China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia y Venezuelaanother official said.

Successive administrations have made the plight of prisoners and hostages a top priority.

Despite rising tensions over the Ukraine war, the Biden administration in April made arrangements with Russia to switch to Trevor Reeda former Marine jailed for allegedly attacking police while drunk, by a Russian pilot convicted of drug trafficking.

In Iranthe Biden administration has insisted that it cannot revive a nuclear deal languishing without the release of imprisoned Americans.

One of them, Siamak Prayera businessman convicted on charges he denies of trying to overthrow the clerical state, recently spoke from prison and urged Biden to secure his freedom regardless of nuclear diplomacy.

if you know that at least 11 Americans are detained in Venezuelaalthough two others were released in March after rare US contact with the dictator Nicholas Maduro, a leftist leader considered illegitimate by Washington.