Kidnapping

United Kingdom

Criminal investigation launched over alleged abduction of British teen

Alex Batty, now 17, was missing for six years after being taken on a holiday to Spain. He has told the press he fled back to his native UK for his future.

22/12/2023

France

British teen returns to UK after going missing in Europe for 6 years

Alex Batty was taken on a holiday to Spain at the age of 11 but, some 6 years later, he eventually turned up in France.

17/12/2023

Europe News

'Hard to keep up morale': Ukrainians on being forced to live in Russia

The Ukrainian government says that there are thousands of Ukrainian kids who were forced to go to Russia amid the war.

15/09/2023

Chile

American man stolen at birth reunites with his birth mother in Chile

Thousands of families in Chile are still searching for answers regarding their missing children taken during the Pinochet regime. One son managed to locate his biological mother after forty-two years apart.

28/08/2023

No Comment

Free at last - kidnapped journalist Olivier Dubois back from Mali

Olivier Dubois, a French journalist kidnapped almost two years ago in Mali, arrived back in France Tuesday.

21/03/2023

Vatican

Pope 'authorised hundreds of thousands' to free kidnapped nun

Sister Gloria Cecilia Narvaez was kidnapped by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, which has bankrolled its insurgency by capturing Westerners.

18/03/2023

Mexico

Two of the four Americans kidnapped in Mexico found dead

Two of the four citizens captured in Mexico by the cartel last week have been found dead, the two survivors are back in the US.

08/03/2023

Burkina Faso

Children among those kidnapped in Burkina Faso

Original reports stated that 50 women were abducted, but it has since come to light that children were among that number.

19/01/2023

Art

Nigeria's abducted Chibok schoolgirls remembered in exhibition

The 108 clay sculptures are inspired by ancient Nigerian Ife terracotta heads and are titled "Statues Also Breathe".

30/12/2022

USA

Man charged over attempted kidnap of Nancy Pelosi and husband's attack

The attack has raised fresh concerns over political violence before the US mid-term elections.

01/11/2022

Portugal

Formal suspect declared over disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007

Madeleine McCann, three, disappeared on 3 May 2007 in Praia da Luz.

22/04/2022

France

Kidnapped Melitopol mayor brands Russian captors 'zombies'

Ivan Fedorov, held for five days earlier in the war before being freed, met President Macron at the Elysée Palace on Friday during a European trip to appeal for more aid.

01/04/2022

France

Ex-soldier convicted of kidnap and murder of 8-year-old French girl

The killing sent shockwaves across France.

18/02/2022

France

Ex-French soldier on trial for murder of 8-year-old Maëlys de Araujo

The 38-year-old man has already admitted to killing Maelys and faces life in prison.

31/01/2022

Netherlands

Nicky Verstappen: Dutch court convicts man of 1998 child killing

The abduction and killing of the 11-year-old boy shocked the Netherlands and had remained unsolved for over 20 years.

28/01/2022

Italy

'Dripping with blood': Anger as Moro kidnapping letter sold at auction

Critics have questioned whether the sale of the note -- claiming responsibility for abducting Italy's former PM -- is in good taste.

28/01/2022

Mexico

Migrants in southern Mexico prevented from moving towards US border

Hundreds protest outside the migration office in the southern city of Tapachula, saying they're vulnerable to criminal extortion and kidnapping.

21/01/2022

France

France issues arrest warrant for Japanese woman over 'parental kidnap'

The case has regenerated debate in Japan, where shared custody is not legally recognised and children are often "abducted" by one parent.

30/11/2021

Italy

Man arrested over alleged kidnap of cable car crash survivor in Italy

Six-year-old Eitan Biran has been the focus of a custody battle between his maternal grandparents in Israel and his paternal relatives in Italy after surviving the crash in May.

26/11/2021

Haiti

US religious group says 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti

A group of 17 U.S. missionaries including children was kidnapped by a gang in Haiti, a religious group said.

17/10/2021