Buzz
Brittney Griner's release from a Russian penal colony on December 8, 2022, sparked both celebrations and critiques. On the same day, Sarah Krivanek, an American citizen who had been ordered deported by a Russian court due to a domestic dispute, also left Russia. However, unlike Griner, Krivanek wasn't part of the prisoner swap that saw Griner exchanged for Viktor Bout, the infamous figure portrayed in the 2005 film Lord of War. Alongside Griner, another notable detainee is Paul Whelan, a former Marine and corporate executive, who was convicted of espionage and is now serving a 16-year sentence.
What many may not realize is that these three individuals are only a small fraction of the many Americans currently being held in non-U.S. prisons. This article highlights just 10 of them, though the number of detained individuals is far greater.
10. Airan Barry and Luke Denman (Venezuela)
In August 2020, a Venezuelan court sentenced former U.S. Army Special Forces members Airan Barry and Luke Denman to 20 years behind bars. The two were convicted of conspiracy, arms trafficking, and terrorism after attempting to overthrow President Maduro. They were involved in Operation Gideon, a failed mission to oust Maduro, which was coordinated by Silvercorp USA, a private security company from Florida. The operation resulted in the deaths of at least eight soldiers and the imprisonment of 66 others.
Both Berry and Denman were apprehended in the small fishing village of Chuao. The men had no choice but to rely on a public defender after their appointed lawyers were not informed about their scheduled hearing. The Venezuelan media later used the two men to insinuate that the United States was behind an attempt to overthrow Venezuela’s government, although the U.S. denied any involvement in the alleged coup.
9. Majd Kamalmaz (Syria)
In 2017, Majd Kamalmaz vanished during a trip to Syria and is presumed to be imprisoned in a Syrian facility. The 63-year-old psychotherapist and American citizen, who suffers from diabetes, arrived in Damascus on February 15, 2017, to visit relatives after the passing of his father-in-law. He was last seen traveling to Syria’s capital and is believed to have been detained at a checkpoint on February 16, 2017. His family, who is puzzled by his arrest, insists that he has no political affiliations. They have been working closely with the State Department in efforts to locate Kamalmaz and secure his release from captivity.
A Czech ambassador later confirmed that Kamalmaz’s detention was due to his perceived representation of U.S. interests in Syria amidst the country’s civil war. Despite the mystery surrounding his case, Kamalmaz is still believed to be alive. A humanitarian by nature, Kamalmaz had previously worked in Kosovo and Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami and had opened mental health clinics in Lebanon and Jordan to assist refugees affected by the ongoing Syrian conflict.
8. David Lin (China)
David Lin, a pastor, has been detained in China since 2006. After years of diplomatic efforts by the U.S., Lin's release finally gained traction in 2022 following a meeting between President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in Bali. The meeting resulted in a reduction of Lin’s life sentence, now shortened to 24 years, meaning his release could take place in 2030. However, it remains uncertain whether Lin will survive until then, as his health has been declining since 2018.
David Lin, an economist, had previously advised state officials in California and Iowa. His wife, a Christian, encouraged him to pursue the faith. In the 1990s, Lin began traveling to China to promote Christianity and assist local churches. In 1999, he registered as a Christian minister. However, in 2006, Lin was detained by authorities and placed under house arrest for distributing religious materials. A few months later, he was formally arrested.
Lin was also accused of 'contract fraud' for helping Chinese nationals enter into contracts for spaces used by unapproved churches. A few years after his arrest, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Lin later expressed that he saw his incarceration as a divine mission and an opportunity to spread religion to his fellow prisoners. In 2018, Lin sent his Bible, his most cherished possession, to his family in the U.S., urging them to petition for his release due to his deteriorating health and inadequate medical treatment in prison.
7. Kai Li (China)
Kai Li, an American citizen, was detained in China in 2017 after being convicted of espionage. In the summer of 2016, Li traveled with his son from their home in New York to Harvard University before heading to Shanghai. Li, originally from Shanghai, was in the city to attend a ceremony marking the anniversary of his mother's death. Upon his arrival, security agents met him at the airport. In 2018, Li was sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage. His family claims that the charges are politically motivated, with the state secrets at the center of the case being readily accessible online, according to Li and his lawyer.
Born in 1962, Li later moved to the U.S. to pursue studies and eventually became a U.S. citizen. He went on to open two gas stations on Long Island and served as a buyer and distributor of solar cell technology for U.S. aerospace companies. Throughout these years, Li visited China multiple times a year.
6. Paul Overby (Afghanistan)
Paul E. Overby Jr., a 79-year-old writer from Massachusetts, was abducted in May 2014 in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province. At the time, he was traveling to interview the leader of the Haqqani network, a notorious Taliban faction. Before his disappearance, Overby had indicated plans to cross into Pakistan.
Overby had traveled to Afghanistan with the intention of writing a book about the ongoing war there. It is also reported that Overby had health problems that required medical attention. In the 1980s, he had fought alongside Afghans against Soviet forces. The FBI has offered a $1 million reward for information that could lead to Overby's safe return.
5. Mark Swidan (China)
In 2012, Mark Swidan was arrested in China and incarcerated in a detention center after being accused of involvement in a drug conspiracy while conducting business there. He was sentenced to death. Swidan’s mother believes her son was wrongfully convicted and fears she will never see him again, as she has not been in contact with him since 2018.
The United Nations Human Rights Council and various other human rights organizations have advocated for Swidan’s release. Despite these calls, Swidan remains imprisoned. Reports from inside the prison suggest that he is being provided with minimal food and his health has seriously declined; it is said that he has lost approximately 100 pounds (45 kilograms). Swidan’s mother is leading efforts to secure his release and has even launched a GoFundMe campaign to provide him with money for basic necessities at the commissary.
4. Austin Tice (Syria)
Austin Tice, a 41-year-old journalist, vanished in Syria in 2012. The last communication received from Tice was a video released that same year. Tice had been in Syria reporting on the civil war when he disappeared. In 2018, his parents revealed that they had new information that led them to believe he is still alive.
In addition to contributing as a journalist to The Washington Post, McClatchy, and CBS, Tice is also a Marine veteran and an Eagle Scout. Despite ongoing efforts to gather details about his whereabouts, little information has been discovered. President Joe Biden has referred to Tice as a “journalist who put the truth above himself.” Tice’s parents continue to press the administration for his release.
3. Shahab Dalili (Iran)
Shahab Dalili, a 59-year-old man, was arrested in Tehran in 2016 while attending his father's funeral. At the time of his arrest, Dalili’s family had recently moved to the United States and settled in Virginia. Although Dalili holds a U.S. green card, he is not a citizen. He faces charges of 'aiding and abetting' the United States. For years after his detention, Dalili’s wife remained silent about his arrest, fearing that speaking out could harm his chances of being released.
The Levinson Act, enacted in 2020, mandates that the U.S. government take action for both citizens and green card holders deemed ‘United States nationals.’ This law strengthens the ability of the United States to negotiate for the release of individuals like Dalili. Dalili’s case has been supported by two former cellmates who were freed in 2019, both urging President Biden not to make any agreements with Iran without ensuring Dalili’s release. One of these former cellmates was a U.S. citizen who had been conducting research in Iran as a graduate student at Princeton University when he was detained.
2. Emad Shargi (Iran)
Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American businessman, was arrested in Iran in 2020 and sentenced to ten years in prison following a trial in which he was absent. Shargi was charged with espionage, a common accusation against dual nationals and foreign citizens in Iran. Although Shargi was first detained in 2018, he was released on bail but not allowed to leave the country. In 2020, he was arrested again and sentenced.
Shargi’s family has raised concerns about his mental health and has called on the United States to intervene and secure his release. While imprisoned in the notorious Evin prison, Shargi has been permitted occasional phone calls with his family.
1. Marc Fogel (Russia)
Marc Fogel, a 61-year-old teacher and U.S. citizen, was detained in Russia in 2021 at Sheremetyevo Airport after being found with less than 20 grams of medical marijuana. The cannabis was prescribed to him in Pennsylvania for medical reasons.
Fogel, who has taught history at various international schools in Venezuela, Oman, Colombia, and Malaysia, was working at the Anglo-American School in Moscow when he was arrested. The school is an exclusive institution catering to the children of diplomats and political figures. Fogel also suffers from chronic spinal pain, for which his doctor had prescribed marijuana.
Fogel was initially sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony on charges of large-scale drug trafficking, though his sentence was later reduced to nine years. Reports indicate that he is not receiving adequate medical care while incarcerated.
