Ajit Karn
Thursday, a Chinese intermediate court denied the appeal of ‘wrongfully detained’ US citizen Mark Swidan and upheld his death sentence with a two-year suspended sentence, according to a State Department press release.
The United States stated that it will continue to advocate for Mark Swidan’s urgent release and return to the country, despite its disappointment with the Chinese court’s ruling.
The release quotes the Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, Vedant Patel, as saying, “Today, the People’s Republic of China’s Jiangmen Intermediate Court denied the appeal of wrongfully detained US national Mark Swidan and upheld his death sentence with a two-year suspended death sentence.”
According to Patel, the United States has frequently communicated with top Chinese officials about Swindan’s treatment and medical care, as well as “his inability to write or receive correspondence in a timely manner.”
We are dissatisfied with this decision and will continue to advocate for his urgent release and return to the United States. “US officials have repeatedly voiced their concerns to senior PRC officials regarding Mr. Swidan’s treatment, medical care, and inability to send or receive mail in a timely manner,” continued the official statement.
US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken continue to focus on the release of Mark Swidan, according to a press release from the State Department.
The official release stated, “President Biden and Secretary Blinken continue to focus on the release of Mark Swidan and other US nationals who have been wrongfully detained or are being held hostage around the world.”
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The UN Human Rights Council demanded that China take the “necessary remedy” and promptly release Swidan in 2020, according to The Hill, which cited the UN Human Rights Council.
