249:, "the only 'evidence' against him is that Swidan once visited a factory where Chinese authorities allege the meth was manufactured, and that he had been in a room rented by another person where drugs were found." Kamm added that there is "no forensic evidence—no fingerprints, no DNA, no drugs in his system. Nor has evidence been presented of his 'coordinating' role—no emails, no logs of calls, etc. I am convinced that Mr. Swidan is innocent."
181:, an expert in Chinese law, has said that a long delay in verdict can be because of an internal controversy within the judicial system, with actors questioning the case's merits. Clarke said: "In such cases, the court doesn't want to embarrass police and prosecutors by acquitting, but it is also reluctant to convict, so it just sits on the case."
108:: "Mark is in a center that is caged with probably 25 other people. There's a hole in the ground for a toilet. They ration toilet paper. There's no hot water, even in the winter. He told me: 'Mama, I've never been so cold in my life'". In the summer, temperatures at the prison can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit with no air conditioning.
170:
In 2022, the U.S. State
Department issued a travel advisory for China, noting "arbitrary enforcement of local laws for purposes other than maintaining law and order, including the use of exit bans". The U.S. government signed an executive order aimed at sanctioning government and individuals who
240:, "The situation is so bad that Chinese officials have admitted to me how embarrassed they are by what has happened." He added: "I have never seen such a violation of an individual's due process rights. It is appalling. In my opinion, he's been persecuted, he’s been set up.”
94:
Attorney Jason
Poblete said of Swidan's detention: "This man has not slept in a dark room in almost 10 years. They have not turned the lights off. He has been kept in a very small cell. He has been forced and subjected to extreme psychological pressure and pains."
151:
wrote to
Katherine Swidan to tell her that securing her son's release is an urgent priority for the White House, the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in China, but she has said that the U.S. government is not doing enough to secure her son's release.
90:
In a July 2022 interview, Swidan's mother, Katherine Swidan, said she had not spoken to him since a five-minute phone call in 2018. As of
November 2022, Chinese officials have denied U.S. consular officers visits for more than a year.
194:
In 2014, Swidan shared a cell with Terry Lee, an
Australian-educated Chinese businessman jailed for refusing to pay a bribe. Lee became convinced of Swidan's innocence despite pleas from the warden to spy on Swidan.
102:. It is also reported that Swidan has lost 100 pounds while confined. His mother reports that he is forced to beg for food and to produce silk flowers while exposed to toxic chemicals. Katherine Swidan told
917:
207:
Campaign, which advocates to bring home wrongful detainees and hostages. Swidan's image is featured in a 15-foot mural in
Washington, D.C., along with other Americans wrongfully detained abroad.
121:
During the Obama administration, little was done to secure Swidan's release. There were no statements from the White House or remarks from the State
Department. Administration officials told
1080:
98:
Katherine Swidan has reported that her son's health is deteriorating. She told CBS that guards broke her son's hand five to seven times, he has dislocated his knee, and he suffers from
87:
has called the prison a "black box". Swidan has reportedly gone on multiple hunger strikes while detained. He has repeatedly threatened suicide and attempted it multiple times.
727:
231:
has advocated for Swidan's release. John Kamm, its chairman, has written to the
Chinese government about Swidan's detention 40 times and received three or four responses.
892:
992:
805:
350:
61:
Swidan was accused of narcotics-related charges and trafficking drugs in China. A year later, he was tried in a
Jiangmen intermediate people's court in Guangdong.
391:
509:
482:
228:
84:
458:
425:
652:
243:
Dui Hua
Foundation has repeatedly stated that no forensic evidence links Swidan to a drug transaction or conspiracy. Dui Hua Chairman John Kamm told
298:
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325:
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https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session86/A_HRC_WGAD_2019_72_AdvanceEditedVersion.pdf
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67:
After five and a half years, Swidan was sentenced to death. At the time of his sentencing, U.S. Treasury Secretary
34:
by a court in Guangdong. On April 14, 2023, the Guangdong court upheld the decision to sentence Swidan to death.
187:, who was arrested in China for illegally acquiring personal data, has called Swidan's detention an instance of
164:
968:
219:
determined that Swidan's detention is wrongful. The U.N. called for his immediate release with reparations.
50:
In 2012, Swidan traveled to China to buy flooring and other supplies. During his trip, he was arrested in a
1075:
31:
128:
The U.S. government considers Swidan wrongfully detained. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs
174:
Swidan's detention and death sentence have been condemned by the United Nations and U.S. organizations.
1009:
37:
Swidan is from Houston, Texas, and has worked as a designer, artist, photographer and businessman.
918:"Trevor Reed, who was detained in Russia, is pushing the Biden administration to bring others home"
867:
817:
326:"As US works to bring Brittney Griner home, a Luling mother has been missing her son for 10 years"
204:
1065:
184:
893:"Karm Gilespie's death sentence labelled diplomatic leverage 'deliberately created' by China"
275:"US 'disappointed' by Chinese court's decision to uphold death sentence for American citizen"
627:"Houston man Mark Swidan's mom believes Trevor Reed release can happen to her son in China"
8:
392:"Texas businessman in slave labor in China's 'black box' jail system for past nine years"
236:
99:
351:"Three Years and Counting: No End in Sight for U.S. Citizen Held in China Drugs Case"
292:
188:
148:
129:
178:
653:"Mom of Texas man held in China for a decade reacts to Brittany Griner's release"
80:
844:"Dozens of Americans are being detained abroad. Here are some of their stories"
483:"Alief mom wants justice for son detained in China without verdict for 6 years"
203:
Katherine Swidan has advocated for her son's release for years. She joined the
68:
426:"'He's been set up': the American whose life may depend on US-China relations"
30:. In 2019, Swidan was charged with drug trafficking in China and sentenced to
1054:
160:
133:
132:
has made it a priority to secure Swidan's release. National Security Advisor
104:
27:
71:
was in China to discuss the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.
137:
539:"Locked up in a Chinese jail: A day in the life of an American prisoner"
58:
hotel room while speaking with his family on the phone on November 14.
141:
55:
943:"Mural revealed to honor Brittney Griner, American detainees abroad"
245:
156:
122:
51:
23:
677:"10 Lesser-Known Americans Currently Detained in Non-U.S. Prisons"
602:"US prisoner in Shanghai jail disappears in city's COVID lockdown"
783:"The latest on the Texas man jailed in China the past nine years"
136:
has raised Swidan's wrongful detention with top Chinese diplomat
758:"Families push Biden for release of jailed Americans in China"
728:"Biden's China challenge in Africa resists summit quick fix"
510:"Houston artist sentenced to death by Chinese court: Family"
1081:
Prisoners and detainees of the People's Republic of China
163:
will introduce a resolution to support Swidan's release.
702:"Other Americans wrongfully detained around the world"
1031:"LIST: These are the Texans detained, missing abroad"
993:"Opinion No. 72/2019 concerning Mark Swidan (China)"
22:is an American who has been detained since 2012 in
1052:
578:"Kafkaesque Saga of an American Jailed in China"
64:The verdict in the case was delayed for years.
966:
1028:
297:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
40:
273:Gan, Jennifer Hansler,Nectar (2023-04-14).
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26:, China, and given the death penalty for
459:"GOP House Majority preps China cudgels"
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842:Cunningham, Erin (December 9, 2022).
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140:as a personal priority for President
1029:Zamora-Nipper, Briana (2022-05-06).
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167:has also advocated for his release.
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781:Trotter, Darian (2021-03-02).
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32:death with a two-year reprieve
1:
969:"Opinion | 'Bring Them Home'"
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1061:Political prisoners in China
651:Uchida, Adela (2022-12-08).
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79:Swidan is being held at the
7:
868:"China's Hostage Diplomacy"
818:"China's Hostage Diplomacy"
125:that little could be done.
10:
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576:Stein, Jeff (2016-08-08).
222:
16:American detained in China
1010:"Five Years and Counting"
198:
147:U.S. Ambassador to China
41:Arrest and death sentence
205:Bring Our Families Home
185:Peter William Humphrey
1076:People from Houston
922:Washington Examiner
606:Safeguard Defenders
543:Washington Examiner
396:Washington Examiner
237:Washington Examiner
215:The United Nations
159:and Representative
100:periodontal disease
229:Dui Hua Foundation
85:Dui Hua Foundation
189:hostage diplomacy
149:R. Nicholas Burns
130:Roger D. Carstens
75:Prison conditions
28:trafficking drugs
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949:. 2022-07-20
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924:. 2022-06-10
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901:. Retrieved
899:. 2020-06-17
897:the Guardian
896:
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876:. Retrieved
874:. 2019-01-11
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432:. 2020-09-06
430:the Guardian
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20:Mark Swidan
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953:2022-12-24
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284:2023-05-14
253:References
177:Professor
46:Background
681:Listverse
142:Joe Biden
112:Responses
56:Guangzhou
762:Politico
732:Politico
582:Newsweek
463:Politico
330:kvue.com
293:cite web
246:Newsweek
157:Ted Cruz
155:Senator
123:Newsweek
52:Dongguan
24:Jiangmen
872:Lawfare
822:Lawfare
223:Dui Hua
199:Family
996:(PDF)
1035:KPRC
787:KABB
657:KEYE
299:link
227:The
355:WSJ
279:CNN
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