EGN NEWS DESK
WASHINGTON (KDKA) – Earlier this week, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey and a bipartisan group of congressional leaders despatched a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on him to declare Butler County native Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained.
“We write to you with the gravest of issues relating to the continued detention of Mr. Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen, native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and worldwide educator, and ask that you just do every little thing in your energy to carry Marc dwelling,” the members wrote.
Fogel has been detained in a Russian jail since August 2021 and has not been included in two separate prisoner swaps with Russia.
Who is Marc Fogel?
Fogel was detained in Moscow in August 2021 when he was accused of smuggling marijuana into the nation.
Fogel and his spouse flew again to Russia for his or her tenth and remaining yr of instructing within the nation, however Marc Fogel was detained on the airport in Moscow.
His household mentioned he was carrying 17 grams of hashish for medical causes to deal with persistent again ache.
Fogel and his spouse lived in Oakmont and Fogel grew up in Butler County. He was recognized for his ardour for instructing youngsters around the globe, together with Russia.
He was finally sentenced to 14 years in a Russian jail and following his sentence, he ended up being transferred to a tough labor colony.
Fighting to free Fogel
Since his detainment in Russia in 2021, his household, residents, and congressional leaders have been preventing to carry him again.
Thousands of residents signed a petition in 2022 calling for the U.S. authorities to do extra to have him introduced again dwelling.
Meanwhile, Senator Bob Casey, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, and lots of others have constantly been calling on the Biden Administration and Sec. Blinken to extend their efforts.
“I put the letter collectively. We had not solely bipartisan however bicameral assist from the Pennsylvania delegation. And hopefully, that exhibits that Pennsylvania, each Senate and House, stand united to get Fogel again,” mentioned Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) in 2022.
In late 2022, the U.S. and Russia executed a prisoner swap that included WNBA participant Brittney Griner, however not Fogel. At the time, his household referred to as him a “political pawn” after he remained in Russia.
“I actually thought in my coronary heart that they’d lump the three of them collectively as a result of they’re buying and selling for a harmful, actual prison. These three folks aren’t criminals. It simply does not look like a fair commerce to me,” Malphine Fogel mentioned.
As the combat continued, earlier this month, the U.S. and Russia introduced one other prisoner swap, and as soon as once more, Fogel was not included within the swap that introduced dwelling Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
“His 95-year-old mom, Malphine, fears she’s going to by no means see him once more. As we have fun the excellent news of in the present day, we can’t overlook about Marc and the Fogel household,” Sen. Casey mentioned.
A day later, President Biden was requested about Fogel and mentioned “We’re not giving up on that.”
Admiral John Kirby, White House National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, mentioned they have not forgotten about Fogel.
“The Russians simply weren’t keen to throw him into the combination,” Kirby mentioned. “And we tried many alternative occasions. I imply, from a really, very early stage right here once we knew we needed to work on a brand new deal, we included Mr. Fogel. Regrettably, they only, they only weren’t biting at it.”
Fogel stays in Russian jail as of the writing of this story.
