On Wednesday, a State Department official announced the release of three American nationals who had been held in China.
They are John Leung, Kai Li, and Mark Swidan.
The 70-year-old Long Island, New York native Li was arrested in 2016 and given a 10-year term in 2018 on espionage allegations that his family claims are unfounded. Texas businessman Swidan has been imprisoned since 2012 and was given a death sentence with a reprieve in 2019 after being found guilty of drug-related offenses that a United Nations working group deemed lacked sufficient evidence.
In a statement, the spokesperson stated, “They will soon return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes after American pastor David Lin, who, like Li and Swidan, was unexpectedly released in September after being unlawfully arrested by the United States. He has been imprisoned in China since 2006 after being found guilty of contract fraud and given a life sentence.
There are more American prisoners than in any other foreign nation, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, which keeps an eye on prisoner rights in China. This number includes both Americans who are imprisoned and those who are barred from leaving the country while an inquiry is underway.
Only a small number are classified as wrongfully held by the State Department. Beijing claims that the law is followed in the handling of every case. A request for response late Wednesday in Beijing was not immediately answered by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
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