Marc Fogel had easily traveled to and from Russia many times before his fateful return to the country in August 2021. He had taught history for almost a decade, mainly to diplomats’ children at the Anglo -American School in Moscow.
But when he entered Russia in front of what he had decided would be his last teaching at school, Mr Fogel was arrested and accused of drug smuggling – less than a hemp ounce he used to treat chronic back pain. In June 2022, he was sentenced to 14 years in a high security prison. In Russia, smaller penalties have often been given to convicted killers.
Following pressure by the US government, Mr Fogel, now 63, was released on Tuesday after three and a half years in custody.
He and his wife, Jane, were global adventurers approaching retirement, having lived in Colombia, Malaysia, Oman, Venezuela and Russia. But like other Americans imprisoned in Russia, such as basketball star Brittney Griner and journalist Evan Gershkovich, became a pawn in the power races between Moscow and Washington around the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Until one year before his arrest, Mr Fogel, like all teachers in the Anglo -American school, had a diplomatic immunity. But as tensions increased with the United States, Russia withdrew the teachers of this protection. In 2022, Russia forced the school to close and seize its property.
Eric Rubin, a former American diplomat in Moscow who meets Mr Fogel and worked to release him, said he was “essentially a situation that is taking hostage”. He said he was suspected that the Russian authorities knew that Mr Fogel would carry cannabis cannabis when he landed at Sheremetyevo Airport near Moscow with his wife Jane.
“This was definitely an installation,” Mr Rubin said, and the sentence was “outrageously inconsistent” with sanctions they took advantage of for similar offenses from Russian citizens, who often receive a test rather than a prison.
Mr Fogel had a doctor’s prescription for a medical marijuana and, according to a website maintained by his family, “planned to report marijuana’s medicine in Russian customs.” The site says: “Marc suffered from natural diseases, including serious and related knee, hip and shoulder problems”, and even exhibits X -rays showing pins and screws in its lower spine.
None of them matters to the authorities in Russia, where the medical use of marijuana is recognized – although the family’s website says: “Russia had previously let foreigners bring marijuana with a doctor’s prescription.”
Mr Fogel was tested by the same court as Mrs Griner, who was convicted of a similar crime and sentenced to nine years in a criminal colony. It was exchanged in December 2022, after nearly 10 months in custody, for Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian weapons representative.
Following his belief, Mr Fogel was sent to a remote labor camp north of Moscow, a location that made difficult for diplomats to visit, where his family said he received degraded medical care and his “deterioration” was dramatic. Last year, they talked about his “serious health issues”, their fear that his 95 -year -old mother will never see him again and the urgency “save him to die in a Russian prison”.
The family became angry with Biden’s administration because it didn’t pay much attention to Mr Fogel’s difficulty, as well as to those of Mrs Griner, Mr. Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal journalist who was released last August in an exchange of prisoners or prisoners. Paul Whelan, an American who took place in Russia since 2018 until he was released with Mr. Gershkovich. In fact, they said that his government had abandoned him.
On the website that demands its release, Mr Fogel’s supporters said that before the election, President Trump had promised his mother that he had “committed” Mr Fogel home. At the end of December, the Foreign Ministry said the US government had stated that Mr Fogel was incorrectly held – a move his family said he was three years late.
“Now that we have the full power of the US government behind us, we must do everything we can bring Marc home as quickly and safely as possible,” the family said in a statement after the announcement.
Speaking during the Senate Confirmation in January, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio said it would be impossible to improve relations between Washington and Moscow, unless Mr Fogel was released.
“If they are not willing to do this,” Mr Rubio said, “then I believe that the chances of improving Russia-US relations are impossible.”
