An American teacher who has been imprisoned in Russia for three years told his family he “feels like” his “soul is dead” after being excluded from last week’s prisoner swap.
“I cannot believe this,” Marc Fogel said on a Saturday call to his family, a recording of which was obtained by The Daily Wire. “I just don’t even want to get out of bed. I am shocked and sickened and out of breath and energy.”
The 63-year-old was given a 14-year prison sentence for possessing medical marijuana in 2021. An employee of Anglo-American School of Moscow, Fogel spent 27 years teaching overseas, and was planning to retire the year he was arrested. An American doctor prescribed the marijuana after Fogel had surgeries on his back, shoulder, and knee.
Fogel told his family he felt “like a second-class citizen” as the Biden-Harris administration prioritized the release of high-profile prisoners like WNBA player Brittney Griner in and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the latter of whom was included in the August swamp.
“I think that teachers have just been shat upon,” Fogel said. “It’s hard to have any faith,” Fogel said.
Fogel’s family echoed this point in a statement following the swap.
“Marc is not rich, a celebrity, or connected to powerful patrons … This fight has been met … with stonewalling, double standards and — today — abandoning Marc to die in prison.”
On Friday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan dismissed the Fogel family’s comments on the Today Show, saying it was “not a responsible statement.”
Sullivan, who said he “personally worked on” Fogel’s case, said former Marine Paul Whelan, who was also released on Thursday, “is not powerful or politically connected.”
But Free Marc Fogel spokesperson Vicki Iseman told The Daily Wire that Whelan had multiple governments pushing for his release, since he is also a citizen of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada.
At one point in the call, Fogel asks if it is true non-U.S. citizens were released in the deal.
“I hate to tell you this, but yes,” Iseman responded.
Human rights advocate and United States resident Vladimir Kara-Murza was among those released as part of the multi-country swap along with Russian opposition figures, CNN reported.
The Fogel family has been lobbying the Biden-Harris administration to give Marc “wrongfully detained” status, which would allow for the government to provide financial support for Fogel’s medical care and other needs. Griner, Whalen, and Gershkovich all received the “wrongfully detained” designation.
The State Department has resisted pressure to give Fogel the designation without explanation, saying they are pushing for his release on humanitarian grounds.
Russia has never released an American prisoner on humanitarian grounds, and formally denied the State Department’s request, Iseman said.
“I think we knew this administration is just not going to be there for you,” Isemand told Fogel. “I don’t know why, but regardless of that, there will be a new administration.”
The Fogel family has intensified their efforts to secure Marc’s release in recent months, as the latter’s deteriorating health has repeatedly landed him in the jail’s hospital.
Fogel’s 95-year-old mother, Malphine, last month met with former President Donald Trump, who told her he would do everything he could to free her son if elected in November.
Malphine was scheduled to appear on stage with Trump at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally where a would-be assassin fired at Trump. Fogel was standing about 25 feet away from Trump when the shots rang out.
Malphine Fogel told The Daily Wire last week that it was “gut-wrenching” to see her son not included in the swap.
Iseman told Fogel to have hope during the call, reminding him of Trump’s promise of support.
“We’ve gone too far for you not to hang in there,” Malphine said. “We have to do the best we can and you have to do your part.”
“I love you mom,” Fogel responded.
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