Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) issued a statement today expressing disappointment over the exclusion of Butler County native and Pittsburgh-area schoolteacher Marc Fogel from the recent prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.
“I am disappointed to hear that Butler County native Marc Fogel was not a part of the prisoner swap today between the United States and Russia. Since he was imprisoned in Russia in 2021, I have repeatedly called on the Biden Administration to include Mr. Fogel in any future release,” said Rep. Mike Kelly. “I’m saddened not only for Marc, but also for his 95-year-old mother, Malphine Fogel, and Marc's family, who have been without him for more than 1,000 days. I also want to commend former President Donald Trump for meeting with Malphine Fogel last month in Butler. As we celebrate the return of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, we must continue to work toward a day when Marc Fogel is also reunited with his family in Pennsylvania.”
Marc Fogel has been imprisoned in Russia since August 14, 2021, serving a 14-year hard-labor sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat his severe back injury—a charge similar to that faced by WNBA player Brittney Griner.
Despite meeting federal criteria for wrongful detention designation by the State Department, Fogel has yet to receive this classification. Griner received her designation within three months of her arrest and was released on December 8, 2022, through a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Rep. Kelly has been an advocate for Fogel’s return since his imprisonment began. In December 2023, members of the Pennsylvania delegation urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to ensure any potential prisoner swaps included Fogel alongside Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.
Additionally, Rep. Kelly introduced The Marc Fogel Act in June aimed at amending the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act to mandate greater transparency from the State Department regarding wrongful detainment determinations.
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