Another American Caught With Weed in Russia Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

US citizens, teachers and teachers have been in prison for 14 years after a small pot was found in their luggage at an airport in Moscow, Russia. This is the latest move in a series of tough texts directed at Americans in the country, including WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Mark Hilliard Vogel, then 60, was arrested on August 14, 2021 at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow when 0.5 ounces of weeds of various shapes were found in his luggage. it was done. Fogel has been approved by US doctors for medical cannabis for chronic pain after a series of severe surgeries.

Fogels have been teaching abroad for years, including in Russia, but on previous flights they were accustomed to the reduced security of the airport. Something went wrong, and Vogel told his wife that he packed 14 arc carts and put some flowers in a contact lens case. He thought that after a trip to the United States, he could pack his luggage and escape for a trip to Russia. Vogels was back in Moscow to celebrate the tenth year since Mark taught the children of US diplomats.

Russian police found weeds, and he soon learned that the country wouldn’t play games when it comes to cannabis, especially when it’s a US citizen. However, Vogel assumed he was considering deportation and other punishments, but he did not have a hard time.

Vogel has already spent 11 months in various Russian detention centers due to his “crime”. But hearing the judge say “14 years” was a tragic moment for Vogel and his family. Washington post Report..

“I feel like I’m sinking into a hole in my stomach where Mark is left behind,” Jane Vogel said. Said Washington post.. “It’s scary. I hope President Biden, especially the educator Jill Biden, recognizes the importance of including Mark in addition to Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.”

We have no choice but to connect with WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner. Brittney Griner is currently detained for the “crime” of two arcpenes.Because she said there was Secretary of State Antony Blinken “Substantial proposal” To free both Greener and another unjustly detained American, Paul Whelan, Vogel’s family hopes he may not have to sit in jail for 14 years.

Vogel was given something like a bowl of porridge or a dry apricot, depending on which Russian prison he was in.

“He says what he wants in English, someone translates one of his selmates for him, and depending on how good their English is, we about what we are doing Is the accuracy of the picture you get. ” Said.. “It’s incredibly worrisome because it’s so complicated that we can’t really have an honest conversation. Everything goes through censorship. It’s miserable.”

But for Mark, he wasn’t happy to hear that Greener might be released before him. “It hurts,” Mark Vogel wrote in a letter. “Teachers are at least as important as Baller.”

Russian reality

President Vladimir Putin has stepped up punishment for both citizens and tourists. A new law that imposes up to 15 years in prison for those who distribute “false news” about the Russian army..Russia is blamed Use prison rulings as “tools to rule society” According to the Eastern Research Center.

Vogels is now calling on President Joe Biden to step into a Russian prison and release him. Just as Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan are making efforts to free CNN. Report..

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, US-Russian relations have clearly been tense, to say the least. In Russia, it is common to rebrand ordinary US citizens and athletes as drug pins, which is said to have political motives.

Nearly 5,000 people have already signed the petition upon Change.org To free Mark Vogel from illegal detention in Russia.