Legislation from Senator Bob Casey that calls for the immediate release of a Butler County native from a Russian prison has advanced.
The bipartisan resolution passed the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that calls for Mark Fogel’s release from Russian detention.
Fogel was teaching overseas when he was detained for carrying about half-an-ounce of medical marijuana for back problems.
Since that time, Fogel has been serving a 14-year sentence in a hard labor camp.
Casey and other local lawmakers have continued calls for the State Department to classify Fogel as “wrongfully detained” which would open up additional resources to help with his potential release.
