Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Twitter Website
Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Twitter Website
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA), along with U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), have issued a statement urging the Biden Administration to include Marc Fogel in any prisoner swap negotiations with Russia. Fogel has been detained in Russia since August 2021 and is serving a 14-year sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat his severe back injury.
“As news of a potential prisoner exchange is being reported, we urge that any swap include Pennsylvania’s Marc Fogel, along with Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich,” said the lawmakers. “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. As negotiations are ongoing with the Russian Federation, we respectfully request that any potential prisoner swap include Marc Fogel.”
In December 2023, members of the Pennsylvania delegation made a similar appeal to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, insisting that any potential prisoner swap must include Fogel, along with Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.
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