Cong. Christopher R. Deluzio | Official U.S. House headshot
Cong. Christopher R. Deluzio | Official U.S. House headshot
WASHINGTON, D.C.— On June 13, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) released the following statement calling on the Biden Administration to designate Western Pennsylvanian Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained.
Fogel was detained in Russia in August of 2021 for possession of a small amount of marijuana, prescribed by a doctor for his chronic pain. This statement accompanies votes in the House of Representatives tonight and this week on House Resolutions calling for the immediate release of two Americans who are wrongfully detained in Russia.
“Tonight and this week, the House is voting on two measures calling for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, Americans who are being wrongfully detained in Russia. I am a yes on these bills, and I also call for the immediate release of Marc Fogel, a Western Pennsylvanian who has been imprisoned in Russia since August 2021.
“Inexplicably, the U.S. State Department has not yet designated Mr. Fogel’s case as a wrongful detention, despite his situation meeting the criteria. Tonight, I also call on Secretary Blinken to give Marc Fogel the official designation of wrongfully detained. Mr. Fogel and his loved ones deserve to know that their government hears them and is using every tool available to return him to the United States. That means designating his status accurately, and I hope it will end with getting Marc Fogel out of a Russian forced labor camp and home with his family where he belongs.”
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Original source can be found here.
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