Fogel was sentenced to 14 years in prison in Russia, which the U.S. has condemned as a wrongful detention, after a small amount of medical cannabis was found in his luggage.

American school teacher Marc Fogel has been released from a Russian prison after three and a half years in captivity, national security adviser Mike Waltz shared Tuesday. The 63-year-old, whom U.S. authorities had designated as wrongfully detained,

Mr. Fogel, who had lived and taught in many countries, including Russia for nine years, spent 3 ½ years in Russian custody for having cannabis for medical use, and is in poor health.