Congressional resolution calls for Oakmont teacher Marc Fogel's release from Russian prison

Support for the Oakmont teacher who was sentenced to 14 years in a Russian prison for possessing a small amount of medical marijuana has been growing steadily in Congress, and a new effort was introduced Wednesday.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a resolution in both the Senate and House that calls for the immediate release of Marc Fogel, who taught history at Moscow’s Anglo American School. He was taken into custody by Russian authorities in August 2021 after being found with medical marijuana prescribed to treat chronic pain from a spinal condition.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, introduced the resolution that is cosponsored by U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock and U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Butler; Summer Lee, D-Swissvale; Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters; and several other members of the Pennsylvania delegation.

Fogel is a constituent of Deluzio’s. The congressman said Fogel faces “unjust and disproportionate charges” and it is imperative to bring him home because he is concerned Fogel is living in abysmal and harsh conditions. Fogel’s family told the Tribune-Review last year that he was being held in a hard labor camp.

“We cannot sit by while Putin’s Russia plays political games with the lives of Americans like my Western Pennsylvania constituent Marc Fogel,” said Deluzio. “We have got to bring Marc home.”

The resolution is part of a growing list of bills that have been introduced in support of Fogel. Last month, Deluzio, Kelly and Reschenthaler introduced the Marc Fogel Act, which would require the State Department to be more transparent as it considers requests to designate Americans imprisoned overseas as wrongfully detained.

The outcry from Pittsburgh-area lawmakers has grown since the successful negotiation and release of WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was held in Russia on similar charges as Fogel.

Fogel has not been designated as “wrongfully detained” by the White House or the U.S. State Department.

Kelly said this legislation reaffirms the commitment to Fogel, and he hopes it will put pressure on President Biden and his administration to declare Fogel as wrongfully detained.

“No American should be left behind, and I pray Mr. Fogel will be reunited with his wonderful family as soon as possible,” Kelly said.

Casey called Fogel’s 14-year sentence a “political ploy” by the Russian government. He urged Biden and his administration to “do everything possible to bring Marc home.”