AMERICAN schoolteacher Marc Fogel has been released from a Russian prison after being jailed over trumped up drug charges.
Fogel, 63, was arrested at an airport in 2021 for the illegal possession of a small amount of medical cannabis and slapped with a 14-year sentence.
APDemonstrators call for the release of Fogel back in 2023[/caption]
APFogel was detained for a small amount of medical cannabis and handed a 14-year prison sentence[/caption]
Fogel was finally freed from captivity after a meeting with President Donald Trump’s envoy in Moscow today.
The US and Russia agreed for the history teacher’s release as part of an exchange with Russia.
The move was announced by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff who said they were heading back to the US with Fogel.
He is yet to confirm what Russia gained in return.
White House national security adviser Mike Waltz later announced in a statement: “Today, President Donald J. Trump and his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are able to announce that Mr. Witkoff is leaving Russian airspace with Marc Fogel, an American who was detained by Russia.
“President Trump, Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisors negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.”
Fogel was officially designated as “wrongfully detained” by the US late last year.
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native was a teacher at the Anglo-American School of Moscow prior to his arrest.
He had also worked as a diplomat at the US embassy in the capital.
During his time in prison, he had reportedly been teaching English to his fellow inmates.
Fogel’s family have spent the past four years pushing for his release as they pleaded with former President Joe Biden to help.
Biden managed to negotiate several US prisoner swaps with Vladimir Putin but never secured Fogel’s freedom.
In December 2022, Russia released WNBA star Brittney Griner in a one-for-one prisoner swap for feared international arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner was serving nine years behind bars on drug smuggling charges.
Last August, the Biden administration also secured the release of three more American prisoners – including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Marine veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were also released as part of a 24-person prisoner exchange.
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