Teacher Marc Fogel Remains Detained in Russia After Prisoner Swap
American Educators Express Concern for Fogel's Well-being
14-Year Sentence for Medical Marijuana Sparks Outrage
American schoolteacher Marc Hilliard Fogel has been detained in Russia since August 2021 after being arrested with less than one ounce of medical marijuana. Despite a recent prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, Fogel was not released.
Fogel and his wife, Jane, had been teaching at the Anglo-American School in Moscow since 2012. In the summer of 2021, Fogel was arrested upon entering the country with the marijuana, which he insisted was for medicinal purposes.
Fogel's sentence of 14 years in a Russian penal colony has sparked outrage among his colleagues and family. They maintain that the punishment is excessive and that Fogel's health is at risk in the harsh prison conditions.
American educators have expressed their concern for Fogel's well-being and have called on the U.S. government to continue negotiations for his release. They argue that Fogel's imprisonment is a violation of his human rights and that he should be returned home to his family.
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