PA teacher Marc Fogel left out of U.S.-Russia prisoner swap

A major prisoner swap between the United States, Russia and several other countries has resulted in the release of three Americans and one green-card holder imprisoned in Russia, with one notable absence: Pennsylvania school teacher Marc Fogel, a Butler County native who was detained in 2021 after entering Russia with prescribed medical marijuana. 

The American citizens released in the deal include journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-born journalist and author who holds a U.S. green card.

At a press conference held on Thursday, President Joe Biden celebrated the prisoner swap, which he said was made possible due to complex negotiations also involving Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey.

“This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here. It’s a relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who have been praying for this day for a long time. The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship,” Biden said. 

Russia released a total of 16 prisoners as a result of the deal, including five German citizens and seven Russians who were imprisoned in their own country. 

“Deals like this one come with tough calls, never any guarantees,” Biden added. “There’s nothing that matters more to me than protecting Americans at home and abroad, and so we’ll continue to work for the release of all wrongfully detained Americans around the world.” 

Pennsylvania political leaders celebrated the release of four Americans, but they also underscored the importance of U.S. government leaders continuing to work to bring Fogel home. 

“This prisoner swap is good news for Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and their families, but Marc Fogel is still sitting in a Russian prison,” U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said in a statement, noting that Fogel’s chronic health issues have worsened during his time imprisoned in Russia. “As we celebrate the good news of today, we cannot forget about Marc and the Fogel family.

“For years, I have been working alongside Marc’s family to push the Administration to bring Marc home,” Casey continued. “Negotiating with a foreign adversary is no easy task, but as the Administration has worked to bring home high-profile Americans like Brittney Griner, Evan Gershkovich, and Paul Whelan – we have only asked that they also prioritize Marc’s release. While Marc’s name may not be in the news every day, he is no less deserving of a reunion with his family.” Casey called today a difficult one for the Fogel family while promising to “never give up” on securing Fogel’s release.

Earlier in the day, Casey was joined by several members of the state’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Sen. John Fetterman and U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, Guy Reschenthaler and Chris Deluzio, all of whom called again for Fogel to be included in the prisoner exchange.

“Marc is a Pennsylvania teacher with severe health issues who has been unjustly imprisoned in a Russian prison for three years, and as the congressional members who represent Marc and his family, we have been pushing to bring Marc home as quickly as possible,” the statement read. 

Following the official announcement of the prisoner swap, Deluzio also said he remained committed to attempting to secure Fogel’s release, calling Thursday “a day of mixed emotions.”“I am happy for all the Russian-held hostages returned to the United States today, and that they will soon be reunited with their loved ones. At the same time, I am frustrated and saddened that detained Western Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel was not included in this prisoner swap,” Deluzio said. 

“For now, it seems 63-year-old Marc Fogel – who has severe medical conditions – will remain in the harsh Russian prison where he is serving a fourteen-year sentence. He was detained almost three years ago for the possession of a small amount of doctor-prescribed medical marijuana,” Deluzio added. “The sad reality that Marc Fogel is not headed back to Western Pennsylvania makes this a crushing day for his family, our community and all who have been in the fight to try and bring him home.”

Members of the congressional delegation have pushed for the U.S. Department of State to classify Fogel as wrongfully detained, suggesting that he meets six of the 11 criteria to be designated as such. U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, Deluzio and others have also sponsored legislation, named the Marc Fogel Act, that would require the department to provide more information about Americans detained abroad.