Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher arrested in Russia on drug charges more than three years ago, has been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained, the State Department said Friday.
Marc Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, is serving a 14-year prison sentence in Russia. He was arrested in August 2021 at a Russian airport for possession of what his family said was medically prescribed marijuana.
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“The United States has been working to secure Marc Fogel’s release for some time. We have long called for his humanitarian release and tried to include him in the August 1 deal, but were unable to. The Secretary determined Marc is wrongfully detained in October,” the US State Department said in a statement.
In the past, such announcements by the State Department have anticipated movements or even breakthroughs in negotiations meant to effect a prisoner exchange.
Fogel was left behind in August when a landmark prisoner exchange brought home from Russia journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal and former Marine Paul Whelan, among others.
Fogel’s wife, Jane, and his sons, Ethan and Sam, said in a statement they were grateful that “the State Department has finally acknowledged what we have known all along – that our husband and father, Marc Fogel, has and continues to be wrongfully detained.”
They added: “Now that we have the full force of the US government behind us, we must do everything in our power to bring Marc home as quickly and safely as possible.”
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