(PITTSBURGH, PA) – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17), and Representative Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) led a coalition of bipartisan Members of Congress in a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to urge the U.S. Department of State to classify Oakmont, PA native Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained. The letter further calls on the State Department to work to bring Mr. Fogel home safely.
Fogel was detained by Russian authorities on August 14, 2021 and is serving a 14-year hard-labor sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat a severe back injury. This past June, Fogel was sentenced to 14 years of hard labor in a Russian prison and in August, Fogel's appeal was denied. Following this denial, it is reported that he is being moved to a hard-labor penal colony.
“Unfortunately, this designation process has stalled while Mr. Fogel’s health is deteriorating, and his physical safety remains at risk,” the Members of Congress wrote. “In light of the Moscow court’s August 25 decision to deny Mr. Fogel’s appeal and his ongoing transfer to a penal colony, we again request that you consider immediately classifying Mr. Fogel as wrongfully detained and prioritize your work to bring him safely home to his family.”
In addition to Casey, Lamb, and Reschenthaler, the bipartisan letter was signed by 22 Members, including Senator Pat Toomey (PA) and Representatives Mike Doyle (PA-18), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), Fred Keller (PA-12), Susan Wild (PA-7), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-6), Madeleine Dean (PA-4), Dwight Evans (PA-3), Brendan Boyle (PA-2) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1),
Read the letter to Secretary Blinken here and below.
October 31, 2022
The Honorable Antony Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Secretary Blinken:
We write to you with the utmost urgency. As you are aware, Russian authorities detained Mr. Marc Fogel on August 14, 2021, in the Sheremetyevo Airport with 17 grams of medical marijuana, previously prescribed by Mr. Fogel’s doctor in the United States to treat his chronic pain. Throughout this process Mr. Fogel has cooperated with Russian authorities and shown proof of his medical conditions, yet, on June 16, 2022, he was still sentenced to an unconscionable, 14-years of hard labor.
Various Members of Congress from Pennsylvania as well as Senators from across the country have urged the State Department to take further action, including classifying Mr. Fogel as wrongfully detained. Unfortunately, this designation process has stalled while Mr. Fogel’s health is deteriorating, and his physical safety remains at risk.
In light of the Moscow court’s August 25 decision to deny Mr. Fogel’s appeal and his ongoing transfer to a penal colony, we again request that you consider immediately classifying Mr. Fogel as wrongfully detained and prioritize your work to bring him safely home to his family. The State Department has had ample time to reconsider the designation of Mr. Fogel, as over 120 and 50 days respectively have passed since his sentencing and appeal. We implore you to give this case the priority and gravity it deserves.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
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