Partnering with Hardwired (NGO) to release Christian prisoners including Petr Jasek (Czech) who was given 20 years to life in prison. Petr was released largely because of a long standing record of "friendship diplomacy " established by Bridges & its partners. 

Partnering with Congressman Trent Franks, Congressman Tom Garret & Hardwired to release Christian prisoners including Rev. Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour and Abdulmonem Abdumawla. Many of these prisoners faced life in prison but were subsequently given a pardon directly from President Omar al-Bashir. (See also the pardon of Pastor Petr Jasek earlier in 2017).

Twice Bridges dispatched Peacemaker Dr. Jeff Burns as part of a larger team, to pray with the regime resulting in the release of Meriam Ibrahim. Meriam was imprisoned while birthing a baby in chains; she was sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her faith.

Nearly a dozen visits to Sudan over 18+ months praying with President Omar al-Bashir, working directly with the U.N. secretary general and the U.S. envoy to Sudan, reversing his intransigence to deploy U.N. Peacekeeping Forces mitigating the “genocide”, mass rapes and 2.2 million displaced.

 (Pictured Above) Sudan President - Omar al-Bashir w/ Bridges President Mark Siljander

Darfur Refugee Camp

Two trips filled with powerful encounters with Muslim & Christian militia leaders to gain the release of 3 hostages taken by Anti Balaka forces, and worked with many of the 10 factions toward signing of a peace treaty. French citizens Claudia Priest, Father Gustave along with C.A.R. Minister of Youth & Sports Armel Sayo were set free as a result of the powerful message of reconciliation.

Iranian leadership was presented a alternate spiritual path to the court system that resulted in the release of two Iranians, Marzieh Amirizadeh & Maryam Rostampour, imprisoned for 255 days as “converts to Christianity”. They were charged with apostasy and blasphemy. If convicted they would have been executed

Prayer meeting with President Musharraf led to release of over 20 Christian men imprisoned for "blasphemy" to care for their starving families left behind unable to work under “Sharia Law”.

​Initiated the process leading to the release of 21 Korean Christian missionaries ultimately accomplished through ICRD (2)