Three American citizens who had been detained in China have been released, according to a State Department spokesperson. The released individuals are Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung. Kai Li, 70, from Long Island, New York, was sentenced to 10 years in 2016 on espionage charges that his family says are baseless. Mark Swidan, a businessman from Texas, was detained since 2012 and sentenced to death with a reprieve in 2019 on drug-related charges that a United Nations working group deemed lacking evidential basis. The State Department spokesperson announced their imminent return to reunite with their families after many years of separation.
These releases follow the surprise release of American pastor David Lin in September, who had been imprisoned in China since 2006. The Dui Hua Foundation estimates there are around 200 American detainees in China, making it the country with the highest number of American detainees. The State Department classifies only a few of them as wrongfully detained, while Beijing maintains that all cases are handled in accordance with the law. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment on the recent releases.
The story is still developing, and updates are expected. Abigail Williams, Minyvonne Burke, and Jennifer Jett are reporters for NBC News covering the State Department and Asia, contributing to the coverage of this ongoing situation. Eric Baculinao also contributed to the reporting.
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