FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 9, 2026
media@freedenniscoyle.com
freedenniscoyle.com
*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***
Statement about the Trump Administration Designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention
Molly, Patti and Amy, sisters of wrongfully detained American citizen, Dennis Coyle, commend the Trump Administration’s designation of Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. His sisters have been advocating for his release since his detainment by the Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) on January 27, 2025, 406 days ago.
Today at the U.S. Hostage and Detainee Day, Secretary Rubio brought a clear message:
“The United States will not tolerate hostage diplomacy… Under the President’s leadership we will not stop until every single, unjustly detained American is brought home.”
“The President isn’t just focused on homecomings, he is also focused on ending the cycle of exploitation… of ending the cycle where Americans are somehow seen as a valuable commodity, where you can grab an American, you can unjustly hold them, and try to trade them later on for some diplomatic or political concession.”
Both Secretary Rubio’s words and his designation of Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention clearly communicate to the Taliban the imperative to resolve American cases. Wrongfully holding US citizens makes relationship with the US government untenable.
At the U.S. Hostage and Detainee Day event, Amy Sessions and Molly Long spoke with Secretary Rubio about their brother’s ongoing wrongful detention.
Molly Long says, “Thank you, Secretary Marco Rubio, for speaking with me and my sister today. Your designation of Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention demonstrates your resolve to hold the Afghan Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence accountable for wrongfully detaining our brother Dennis Coyle for more than 400 days. We have great confidence in this administration! We also express our gratitude to Dr. Sebastian Gorka and Adam Boehler for prioritizing Dennis’s freedom and for working relentlessly to bring him home safely. We remain confident and thankful.”
President Trump signed Executive Order 14348 on September 5, 2025, empowering the Secretary of State to designate a nation as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention (SSWD). The order became law via the National Defense Authorization Act.
Media interested in covering Molly’s advocacy can contact our media contact at media@freedenniscoyle.com.
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About Dennis
Dennis Coyle is a U.S. citizen from Colorado who has dedicated nearly two decades of his life to serving the people of Afghanistan. He first arrived in the early 2000s with a clear purpose: to survey Afghanistan’s rich linguistic diversity and help Afghan communities develop resources in their own languages.
Throughout his years of service, Dennis maintained a home in Kabul and built deep, meaningful relationships with the Afghan people. Those who know him speak with profound appreciation for both the man and his work. Dennis has always embraced Afghan culture with genuine warmth—sharing cups of traditional green tea, enjoying dried fruit snacks, and engaging in the kind of heartfelt conversations that bridge cultures. His love for the Afghan people isn’t just professional; it’s personal and deeply felt.
For nearly twenty years, Dennis worked legally in Afghanistan, maintaining positive relationships with government ministries that provided his visas and work permits for conducting language surveys.
The family’s primary concern is for Dennis’s well-being. The family is distressed by the severe limits on communication and his near-solitary isolation conditions.