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10 Lesser-Known Americans Currently Detained in Non-U.S. Prisons

10 Lesser-Known Americans Currently Detained in Non-U.S. Prisons

By Paul SmithPublished about a year ago 9 min read
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10 Lesser-Known Americans Currently Detained in Non-U.S. Prisons

Some people applauded and others denounced Brittney Griner's recent release from a Russian jail colony on the morning of December 8, 2022. On the same day, Sarah Krivanek, an American citizen who had been ordered deported from Russia owing to a domestic dispute, also left the country. Krivanek, in contrast to Griner, did not take part in the prisoner swap that saw Griner traded for Viktor Bout, the subject of the Nicholas Cage movie Lord of War from 2005. Paul Whelan, a former Marine and corporate executive who was found guilty of espionage and is currently serving a 16-year term, is a third prisoner who is well-known. What many people don't realize is that there are many more prisoners being held in jails outside of the United States than just these three. There are many more of these people; this article only names ten.

By Paul Smith

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10 Airan Barry and Luke Denman (Venezuela)

After the two men sought to assist in the overthrow of President Maduro, a Venezuelan court sentenced Airan Berry and Luke Denman, two former members of the U.S. Army Special Forces, to 20 years in jail in August 2020. The two individuals were found guilty of terrorism, illicit arms trafficking, and conspiracy. Both individuals acknowledged taking part in Operation Gideon, a failed effort to overthrow Maduro. It was a component of a scheme designed by Florida-based private security company Silvercorp USA. At least eight troops died as a result of Operation Gideon, while an additional 66 others were imprisoned. Berry and Denman were both taken into custody in Chuao, a fishing community. After the attorneys appointed to represent the two individuals were not informed of their hearing, the guys were represented by a public defender. The Venezuelan media then made use of the two men to imply that the United States planned to topple Venezuela's government. The US denied any involvement in the purported coup.

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9 Majd Kamalmaz (Syria)

Majd Kamalmaz, who vanished in 2017 while traveling to Syria, is thought to have been imprisoned there. The 63-year-old American citizen and psychotherapist with diabetes arrived in Damascus on February 15, 2017. After his father-in-law passed away, Kamalmaz left at this time and went to the Syrian capital to find information about his aging relatives. On February 16, 2017, Kamalmaz is thought to have been detained at a checkpoint. Family members have questioned why the man was detained given that he is not active in politics. In an effort to track down Kamalmaz and assist in his release from custody, the family has also collaborated with the State Department. After the Syrian civil war broke out, a Czech ambassador confirmed that Kamalmaz was detained because he was considered as a representation of American interest in the nation. Although Kamalmaz's whereabouts are no longer known, he is still thought to be alive. Kamalmaz is a humanitarian with a passion for helping those affected by worldwide disasters; following the 2004 tsunami, she worked in Indonesia as well as Kosovo. By establishing two mental health clinics in Lebanon and Jordan in 2012, Kamalmaz assisted several refugees who were affected by the escalating crisis in Syria.

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8 David Lin (China)

Pastor David Lin has been imprisoned in China since 2006. After President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in Bali in 2022, U.S. attempts to secure Lin's release finally yielded fruit. At this conference, the sentence of life in prison for Lin was reduced to 24 years. Accordingly, Lin will be freed from jail in 2030. Lin's ability to live till this time is still in doubt, though. Lin's health has declined since last year. David Lin was an economist who provided advice to state officials in California and Iowa. Lin's wife, who is a Christian, convinced him to practice the faith. Lin started traveling to China in the 1990s to spread the gospel and support local churches. In 1999, Lin later applied to become a Christian preacher. Lin was apprehended by police enforcement in 2006 and put under house detention for possessing unlawful religious propaganda. Lin was formally detained many months later. For assisting Chinese nationals in signing contracts for properties intended for unauthorized church use, Lin was also charged with "contract fraud." Lin was sentenced to life in prison a few years later. Later, Lin said that he saw his confinement as a chance to spread faith to his fellow prisoners and a mission from God. However, Lin sent his treasured asset, his bible, to his family members in the US in 2018. Later, Lin pleaded with his family to ask for his release because his health was declining while he was incarcerated and he wasn't getting the care he needed.

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7 Kai Li (China)

An American citizen named Kai Li was imprisoned in China in 2017 after being found guilty of spying. In the summer of 2016, Li traveled to Shanghai after taking his son from their New York residence to Harvard University. Kai Li, who was born in Shanghai, visited the city once more to attend a ceremony honoring his mother. Security personnel awaited Li when the aircraft touched down. Li received a ten-year prison term in 2018 for espionage. The Li family claims that these accusations are made for political reasons. Li and his attorney contend that the state secrets at issue in the lawsuit are publicly accessible online. Li, who was born in 1962, eventually traveled to the US to study before obtaining US citizenship. While simultaneously acting as a buyer and distributor of solar cell technology for American aerospace companies, Li operated two petrol stations on Long Island. Li made multiple trips to China at this time.

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6 Paul Overby (Afghanistan)

A 79-year-old Massachusetts author named Paul E. Overby Jr. was kidnapped in May 2014 in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province. Overby was on his way to interview the leader of the notorious Taliban network known as the Haqqani network at the time of his capture. Overby implied that he intended to cross into Pakistan before vanishing. At the time, Overby was there to research and publish a book about the Afghan war. Additionally, Overby reportedly had health problems for which he needed treatment. Overby fought alongside Afghans in the 1980s against Soviet forces. A $1 million reward has been offered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for information that leads to Overby's return.

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5 Mark Swidan (China)

Mark Swidan was detained and held in a Chinese detention facility in 2012. While on business in China, Swidan was charged with participating in a drug conspiracy and given the death penalty. Mother of Swidan fears she may never see her son again because she believes he was wrongly convicted. Since 2018, she has not spoken to him. Sweden's release has been urged by the United Nations Human Rights Council and other human rights organizations. Swidan continues to be detained in spite of these requests. Sweden's health is apparently failing while he's incarcerated, and it's been stated that he's dropped roughly 100 pounds (45 kilograms). Swidan has money to buy necessities at the commissary because his mother is leading the effort to get him released and has even launched a GoFundMe page.

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4 Austin Tice (Syria)

Austin Tice, a 41-year-old journalist, vanished in Syria in 2012. Tice's video from the same year was the last thing anyone in the US heard from him. Tice vanished in Syria in 2012 while reporting on the civil crisis there. Tice's parents stated in 2018 that they now know new information that makes them think Tice is still alive. Tice is an Eagle Scout, a Marine veteran, and a journalist who has written for The Washington Post, McClatchy, and CBS. In recent years, those looking for information about Tice haven't discovered any. Tice has been referred to as a "journalist who put the truth above himself" by Vice President Joe Biden. The administration is still under pressure from Tice's parents to ensure his release.

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3 Marc Fogel (Russia)

American citizen and teacher Marc Fogel, 61, was detained after he entered Russia in 2021 at Sheremetyevo Airport while in possession of medical marijuana. At the time of his arrest, Fogel had fewer than 20 grams of marijuana on him. In Pennsylvania, Fogel received a prescription for the medication for medical reasons. At numerous high schools in nations like Venezuela, Oman, Colombia, and Malaysia, Fogel has taught history. Fogel was employed by the Moscow-based Anglo-American School at the time of his imprisonment. The premium private school's students include children of American ambassadors and prominent foreign politicians. Additionally, Fogel has a history of persistent back pain, for which his doctor prescribed marijuana. Fogel was ultimately found guilty of large-scale narcotics trafficking and given a 14-year prison sentence in a Russian penal camp. Later, the sentence for Fogel was lowered to nine years. According to reports, Fogel is not getting enough medical care while incarcerated.

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2 Emad Shargi (Iran)

Iranian-American businessman Emad Shargi was detained in Iran in 2020. After a trial that Shargi did not even attend, he was later given a ten-year prison sentence. Shargi was detained on espionage allegations, which Iran frequently uses to prosecute foreigners and dual citizens. But Shargi was originally taken into custody in 2018. Shargi was later granted bail, although he was still unable to leave the country. In 2020, he was detained again. Shargi's family has pleaded with the United States to secure his release because they are concerned about his mental health. Shargi has been given permission to have brief phone conversations with his family while he is detained at the notorious Evin prison.

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1 Shahab Dalili (Iran)

A 59-year-old man named Shahab Dalili was detained and then imprisoned in Tehran in 2016 while there to attend his father's burial. At the time Dalili was detained, Dalili's family had just recently arrived to the country and settled in Virginia. Despite having a green card and living legally in the country, Dalili is not a citizen. The United States has been accused of "aiding and abetting" Dalili. Dalili's wife decided not to talk about his detention for a number of years after his incarceration for fear that it may jeopardize his release. The Levinson Act, passed in 2020, mandates that the US government cooperate with both US citizens and those with green cards who are regarded as "United States nationals." The United States now has more authority to free someone like Dalili from prison as a result of this statute. Two of Dalili's former cellmates who were liberated in 2019 and asked President Biden not to approve any deal with Iran without securing Dalili's liberation are also helpful. One of these men was a citizen of the United States who was detained as a PhD student from Princeton University conducting research in Iran.

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About the Creator

Paul Smith

I love writing stories on things that inspire me, I love to travel explore

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