Congresswoman Madeleine Dean of Glenside announced today that she and other members of Congress have signed a letter sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging officials to bring home Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel, who has been imprisoned by Russia since August 2021.
Fogel, a Pennsylvania native and career educator (pictured above), has been imprisoned for carrying less than an ounce of medical marijuana, which was legally prescribed to him by his doctor to treat severe medical conditions, according to Rep. Dean’s press release.
According to the Washington Post, Fogel is serving a 14-year sentence handed down by a Russian judge in June 2021.
“We write to you with the gravest of concerns regarding the continued detention of Mr. Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen, native of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and international educator, and ask that you do everything in your power to bring Marc home,” the letter says. “Designating Marc as “wrongfully detained” will underscore the political nature of his continued detention by the Russian government and the failure of humanitarian and other efforts thus far to bring about Marc’s release. It will also demonstrate that the U.S. government considers his case to be of equal importance to similar cases […] Finally, it will bring to the family resources, such as a Family Engagement team, that can consistently support and communicate with Marc’s family.”
In July 2023, Congresswoman Dean joined colleagues in cosponsoring a bipartisan concurrent resolution calling for the immediate release of Fogel. In October 2022, she sent a letter to Secretary Blinken calling for Mr. Fogel to be designated as wrongfully detained and brought home.
The letter was led by Senator Casey, and, in addition to Congresswoman Dean, was signed by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), and Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17).
The full letter to the Secretary of State can be found below:
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Photo: Washington Post