Who is Marc Fogel, the US teacher released by Russia?

American teacher Marc Fogel, arrested successful Russia for allegedly carrying medically prescribed marijuana successful 2021, has been freed and returned to the United States.

Fogel had been serving a 14-year condemnation for cause smuggling – a complaint the US State Department called “unjust”. He received a lukewarm invited from President Donald Trump astatine the White House connected Tuesday night.

“I consciousness similar the luckiest antheral connected world close now,” said Fogel, cloaked successful a US flag. He thanked Trump and different US officials who helped negociate his release, calling them “heroes”. He besides credited Russian President Vladimir Putin for his relation successful the process.

US President Donald Trump greets teacher Marc Fogel arsenic helium arrives astatine the White House nether dense snowfall successful Washington, DC, February 11, 2025 [Ting Shen/AFP]

Who is Marc Fogel?

Marc Fogel, a 63-year-old teacher from Pennsylvania, spent overmuch of his vocation teaching astatine planetary schools astir the world, including successful Colombia, Malaysia, Oman, Mexico and Venezuela.

A erstwhile pupil of Fogel’s astatine the International School of Kuala Lumpur, who requested anonymity, recalled however Fogel would thrust a moped to school, wherever helium ran the exemplary UN, an extracurricular enactment during which students roleplay delegates. His students were expected to instrumentality disconnected their shoes earlier entering his class, they told Al Jazeera.

Since 2012, helium and his woman had lived successful Moscow, wherever Fogel taught past astatine the Anglo-American School, which caters to US citizens and the children of diplomats. He had diplomatic immunity arsenic a teacher astatine the school, which is backed by the US, British and Canadian embassies, until 2020, erstwhile Russia revoked the teachers’ diplomatic status, claiming the US was misusing the privilege.

Prior to his apprehension successful August 2021, helium had planned to thatch 1 last twelvemonth successful Moscow earlier retiring.

Why was helium arrested?

Fogel was detained successful Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airdrome aft flying successful from New York with little than an ounce (28.35gm) of cannabis, which his household said was medically prescribed for his chronic backmost pain.

Russia, which has stringent cause laws, accused him of keeping the cannabis “carefully disguised” successful his luggage.

A Moscow tribunal aboriginal convicted Fogel of “large-scale cause smuggling” and handed him a 14-year hard labour sentence. He was sent to Rybinsk penal colony 4 hours distant from Moscow to service his time. Penal colonies are notorious for harsh surviving conditions and brutality.

The US State Department classified Fogel arsenic “wrongfully detained”.

How and erstwhile was helium released?

Fogel was handed implicit to Trump’s visiting Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, successful Moscow connected Tuesday. Fogel’s Russian lawyer, Dmitry Ovsyannikov, told Russia’s TASS quality bureau it was unclear connected what grounds the American had been released oregon whether helium had been issued a ceremonial pardon.

Fogel arrived astatine a subject installation successful Maryland, Joint Base Andrews, precocious connected Tuesday nighttime earlier heading to the White House for a quality league with Trump.

While addressing the media, Trump did not disclose details astir the negotiations to unafraid Fogel’s merchandise but described the speech arsenic “very fair, precise reasonable” and stated that the US did not person to connection overmuch successful return. On Wednesday morning, the Kremlin announced an unnamed Russian had been freed from a US situation and would soon instrumentality location arsenic portion of the deal.

Fogel was arrested months earlier Russia invaded Ukraine successful February 2022, aft which ties betwixt Washington and Moscow deteriorated to a historical low.

Trump with teacher Marc Fogel successful the White House , Washington, DC [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

Are determination different Americans presently imprisoned successful Russia?

Yes, astatine slightest 10 US citizens stay successful Russian custody, including existent and ex-military personnel.

Among them are Army unit sergeant Gordon Black, Marine seasoned Robert Gillman and ballet dancer Ksenia Khavana. Khavana, a dual US-Russian national, was convicted of treason aft making a $51 donation to a US foundation that helps Ukrainian children.

The State Department says Trump is committed to bringing each the detainees home.

What has Trump said astir Fogel’s case?

Trump thanked Putin for helping escaped Fogel and said it could play a “big, important part” successful bringing the warfare successful Ukraine to an end.

“We were treated precise nicely by Russia,” said Trump, lasting alongside Fogel successful the White House. “Actually, I anticipation that’s the opening of a narration wherever we tin extremity that warfare and millions of radical tin halt being killed.”

Trump besides said different American held overseas volition beryllium released connected Wednesday. He did not specify.

Why mightiness Russia person released Fogel now?

The details surrounding Fogel’s merchandise are hazy, but it comes arsenic Trump seeks to bolster ties with Russia and mediate an extremity to the Ukraine war.

During his statesmanlike campaign, Trump had pledged to extremity the Ukraine war. In an interrogation connected Monday, helium said “Ukraine whitethorn beryllium Russian someday”, arsenic his medication works to extremity Europe’s largest equipped struggle since World War II.

While Trump declined to accidental if helium had brought up Fogel’s merchandise straight with Putin, helium confirmed connected Saturday that helium had spoken with Putin astir the three-year warfare successful Ukraine. Both the leaders person said they are anxious to conscionable to sermon however to bring a swift extremity to the war, but nary day for immoderate acme has been announced.

Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz called Fogel’s merchandise a motion of goodwill from Russia that shows “we are moving successful the close direction” towards ending the Ukraine war.

The merchandise besides follows an extended captive swap betwixt Russia and the West backmost successful August 2024 that freed 3 high-profile US citizens, including Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich and US marine Paul Whelan.

What person been the reactions?

The quality of Fogel’s merchandise was met with praise and alleviation from his household and lawyers, arsenic good arsenic lawmakers from his location authorities of Pennsylvania.

“We are beyond grateful, relieved, and overwhelmed,” said a associated connection from the Fogel family, who had been captious of erstwhile President Joe Biden’s administration’s handling of the case. “This has been the darkest and astir achy play of our lives, but today, we statesman to heal.”

Fogel’s defence lawyers, Martin De Luca and Andrew Smith, called his merchandise “historic” and praised Trump’s “strong enactment … wasting nary clip successful taking decisive enactment to bring [him] home.”

US Congressman Mike Kelly, who represents Butler County successful Pennsylvania, wherever Fogel’s parent lives, expressed his joyousness that the household was yet reunited aft years of his advocacy connected their behalf. “I privation to convey President Trump for successfully securing Marc’s release,” Kelly said successful a statement. “Today is simply a large time for the Fogel family.”

Pennsylvania Senators John Fetterman, a Democrat, and Dave McCormick, a Republican, besides issued statements applauding Fogel’s release.

Thank you @POTUS for bringing Marc home! All of Pennsylvania is blessed helium is backmost safely, particularly his astonishing 95 twelvemonth aged mom, Mafa, who ne'er stopped warring for his release. Dina and I were honored to witnesser this affectional and historical infinitesimal contiguous astatine the White House. pic.twitter.com/B6LpXomzua

— Senator Dave McCormick (@SenMcCormickPA) February 12, 2025