Families of incarcerated Americans are asking for support and attention

Families of incarcerated Americans are asking for support and attention

“One of the most challenging experiences” during his imprisonment in Russia was for Marc Fogel the feeling of possibly being forgotten. Fogel, a teacher, was held for three and a half years before being released in mid-February. He was among the first American prisoners released during President Donald Trump's second term.

Return to Washington, DC

On Wednesday, Fogel returned to Washington, D.C., in front of a mural depicting Americans held abroad. There he joined with the families of other prisoners to demand their release. “I am one of the lucky ones and I want you to know that my family and I will work tirelessly for all of you because we want all of your loved ones to be here soon,” he explained.

A mural for forgotten prisoners

Fogel was one of several Americans released from abroad who attended the mural's unveiling on Wednesday. This project, the third edition, was organized by the Bring Our Families Home Campaign and created by artist Isaac Campbell. It depicts the ten-foot-tall faces of Americans held abroad on a wall in the capital's Georgetown neighborhood.

show face

"It gives them a name. Their faces, as you can see, are larger than life, so they can no longer be ignored," said Scott St. Clair, whose son Joseph St. Clair is a veteran imprisoned in Venezuela. He is among nine Americans falsely detained there. The mural also features the faces of Ksenia Karelina, Mahmood Habibi, Lucas Hunter, Andre Khachatoorian, David Barnes, Jorge Marcelo Vargas, Robert Gilman, Wilbert Castaneda, Youras Ziankovich, Shahab Dalili and Zack Shahin. Karelina and Ziankovich were both fired – Ziankovich was released the day the mural was unveiled.

The voice of the relatives

The families of those whose faces are now visible and who are being held in countries such as Venezuela, Russia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates have spoken of the pain caused by their loved ones' detention. "Imagine someone you love with all your heart locked in a cage, with no light, no windows, isolated, in pain and completely unsure if they will ever be free. Unfortunately, this nightmare is our everyday reality," said the granddaughter of Vargas, a U.S. citizen held in Venezuela.

Appeal to the US government

The families called on the US government to do everything in its power to bring their loved ones home. "Please, Mr. President, members of Congress, use your authority, your voices, your resolve. Let the world know that America will not abandon its citizens," Patti St. Clair emphasized.