The David House Agency

Last updated
David House Agency
Formation2011
Founder Eric Volz
Purposeinternational crisis resource
Location

The David House Agency is a Los Angeles-based international crisis resource agency [1] that helps international travelers facing wrongful imprisonment and other complex legal and political situations abroad. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The David House Agency was founded in 2011 by Eric Volz after his own experience of wrongful detainment in Nicaragua. In an article about the agency, The New York Times describes it as "a hybrid of international detective work, legal research, political analysis, and diplomatic lobbying." [1] The agency works on all aspects of international detainment cases, including case management, hiring and managing of local counsel, fundraising guidance, strategic communications, private diplomacy and lobbying, and aftercare measures. [5]

High Profile Cases

The agency has been at the center of many high-profile cases overseas. Most recently, the David House Agency worked on the wrongful conviction case of Matthew and Grace Huang, a Los Angeles couple erroneously accused of starving their 8-year-old adopted daughter to death in Qatar in January 2013. [6] Their conviction was overturned in December 2014, ending a two-year legal saga and lift of a travel ban—enabling the couple to leave Qatar and reunite with their two sons in the US.

The agency also aided Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, a 28-year-old former U.S. Marine convicted of spying for the CIA in Iran, [7] Jason Puracal, an American who was wrongfully imprisoned in Nicaragua on charges of international drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime, [8] and the three American hikers taken into custody and accused of spying by Iranian border guards while hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan. [9]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Volz</span> American magazine publisher

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Matthew and Grace Huang are an American couple who were convicted by the judicial system of Qatar in March 2014 of neglecting their daughter, thus leading to her death. However, on November 30, 2014, the Appellate Court of Qatar declared the Huangs innocent, and three days later lifted the travel ban allowing them to return home and be reunited with their sons.

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Paul Nicholas Whelan is a Canadian-born former United States Marine with U.S., British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship. Whelan left the Marines in 2008 with a bad conduct discharge after being convicted on multiple counts "related to larceny".

Siamak Namazi is an Iranian-American businessman. He had been detained in Evin Prison in Iran from October 13, 2015, until his release.

Morad Tahbaz is an Iranian-American businessman and conservationist. He was born in London and holds British citizenship. Tahbaz is a co-founder of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF). In January 2018, Iranian authorities arrested Tahbaz along with eight other PWHF-affiliated individuals.

Matthew John Heath is an honorably discharged U.S. Marine Corps veteran, security consultant, and commentator. He took part in the early battles of the Iraq War and was highly decorated for actions taken in the Battle of Nasiriyah. Heath specialized in communication and signals intelligence. After leaving the military in 2004, he began work as a security consultant for the U.S. Govt. On September 9, 2020, Heath was arrested by the government of Venezuela and subsequently charged with offenses related to treason, terrorism and arms trafficking. Following his arrest, his family engaged in a public advocacy campaign in order to secure his release from Venezuela.

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Evan Gershkovich is an American journalist and reporter at The Wall Street Journal covering Russia.

References

  1. 1 2 Gladstone, Rick (March 27, 2015). "Turning Wrongful Imprisonment Into Advocacy". New York Times. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  2. Kolker, Robert (July 14, 2015). "Do You Know How Your Daughter Died?". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. Kruse, Brandi (April 23, 2012). "Through Imprisoned Tacoma man, Eric Volz Relives His Hell". Mynorthwest.com. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  4. "David House Agency Mission". The David House Agency. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  5. "David House Agency Services". The David House Agency. 11 December 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  6. Schwartz, Felicia (December 2, 2015). "Qatar to Allow Americans to Return Home". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  7. Associated Press (20 February 2012). "Former Iran detainees: Publicity helped their case". Fox News. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  8. Puente, David (September 15, 2012). "American freed after 2 years in Nicaraguan 'hellhole'". CNN. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  9. Russell, Joel. "Firm Locked In on Freeing U.S. Citizens Overseas". LA Business Journal. Retrieved 2 August 2015.