On June 10, 2025, I reported on the mysterious case of Joseph Tater, an American citizen who had been arrested in Moscow for “petty hooliganism,” or what appeared to have been disorderly conduct, in August of 2024.

In April of 2025, when he was scheduled to stand trial, he was instead apparently moved to a psychiatric facility, and was said to be on a list of Americans whose release the U.S. government was attempting to negotiate. But on June 6, 2025, the Russian news agency TASS announced that Tater had been discharged because “the clinic had no reason to keep [him] and released him for outpatient treatment.” [RFE/RL, June 6, 2025.]

The article then added, confusingly, that “Tater was no longer in Russia but that his current whereabouts were unclear.” [Id.]

And that is where the trail goes dark. No further word was received from Russian sources as to Tater’s destination when — or if — he left Russia. Similarly, there has been no comment from U.S. sources.

So where is Joseph Tater? The early reports of his detention indicated that he was, at best, suffering from confusion and disorientation. He had apparently committed some relatively minor infractions of the law. So why was he suddenly, and without explanation, released — seemingly on his own recognizance?

Russia does not allow foreigners — particularly those who have run afoul of the law or who may be suffering from some mental disorder — to roam randomly around the country, seeking “outpatient treatment.” The most likely scenario would have been his transfer into the custody of U.S. officials. But why has there been no further word from him or from the U.S. government? And if he did indeed leave Russia, why won’t anyone say how he exited the country, or where he was headed? Is he even alive? Did he not have a friend or relative somewhere who would be looking for him?

Until these questions are answered, Joseph Tater — in my mind, at least — appears to have been disappeared by a person or persons unknown, which qualifies him for an unenviable spot on my hostage list.

*. *. *

And for those known hostages remaining in limbo, here they are again, with no reported changes since last week:

Victims of Greed:

The President, First Lady, and citizens of Venezuela

Europeans Under Threat:

The people of NATO and EU member states

Prisoners of War:

The 19,500 Kidnapped Ukrainian Children
The People of Ukraine

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Endangered Exiles:

Mikita Losik
Yulia Navalnaya
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Azerbaijan:

The “Azerbaijan 7”:
— Farid Mehralizada
— Ulvi Hasanli
— Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
— Mahammad Kekalov
— Hafiz Babali
— Nargiz Absalamova
— Elnara Gasimova

In Belarus:

Andrei Chapiuk
Uladzimir Labkovich
Andrzej Poczobut
Marfa Rabkova
Valiantsin Stafanovic
Yuras Zyankovich

In Georgia:

Mzia Amaglobeli

In China:

Chenyue Mao (American)

In Russia:

The “Crimea 8”:
— Oleg Antipov
— Artyom Azatyan
— Georgy Azatyan
— Aleksandr Bylin
— Roman Solomko
— Artur Terchanyan
— Dmitry Tyazhelykh
— Vladimir Zloba

James Scott Rhys Anderson (British)
David Barnes (American)
Gordon Black (American)
Hayden Davies (British)
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman (American)
Stephen James Hubbard (American)
Sergey Karelin
Timur Kishukov
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Michael Travis Leake (American)
Aleksei Liptser
Grigory Melkonyants
Nika Novak
Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea)
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Sofiane Sehili (French)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector (American)
Joseph Tater (disappeared)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland (American)

You are not forgotten.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/11/26