On 24 June 2015 President Obama approved
Presidential Policy Directive 29 "US Nationals Taken Hostage
Abroad and Personnel Recovery Efforts" ("PPD-29")
and issued an Executive Order on Hostage Recovery Activities. In
the past few days, international headlines have proclaimed that
"Obama allows US hostage families to pay ransoms" (BBC),
"Obama administration clears way for hostages' families to
pay ransom" (The Guardian), "White House Won't Bar
Hostages Families From Paying Ransoms" (The Wall Street
Journal).
The change in policy is a response to criticisms levelled
against the US government by the families of hostages that it was
inconsistent, uncommunicative and lacked transparency in its
approach to hostage situations. In at least one case, a family was
threatened by prosecution under the material support statute (which
outlaws payments to terrorists). In a statement on 24 June
President Obama said: "...I want to point out that no
family of an American hostage
