In the 12 years since Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, his family and his coworkers at McClatchy have grieved at his absence, despaired at silence from the Syrian government and prayed that

To my colleagues in the press,” Hunter wrote recently, asking for support, “do not let Austin Tice be forgotten. Keep asking tough questions and demanding answers until the administration takes action and makes his release a priority.

At his end-of-year news conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would ask Bashar al-Assad, Syria's deposed president, about Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria for more than 12 years.