Kuwait Releases American Prisoners, Including Veterans and Contractors Charged with Drug Offenses
A group of American detainees has been released by Kuwaiti authorities after spending several years in prison.
Kuwaiti officials have confirmed the liberation of a group of American prisoners, including military veterans and contractors, who had been incarcerated for years on drug-related offenses.
In an interview with ABC, Franks revealed that Kuwait had consented to release a total of 15 Americans, all convicted on drug charges, in an agreement with the U.S. government.
Expressing appreciation to the Kuwaiti authorities, Franks described the release as a “kind humanitarian gesture.” He added that his clients maintain their innocence and hinted that there may be future releases of additional American detainees in Kuwait.
The U.S. State Department has not yet offered any details regarding the detainees’ release and did not respond promptly to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
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“These travel bans, which are strictly enforced, prevent individuals from leaving Kuwait for any reason until the situation is resolved,” the embassy stated. “Travel bans can also be enforced by private citizens for nearly any reason and may last a significant amount of time while the case is under investigation.”
Kuwait, a wealthy Gulf nation bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia, has been a significant military ally of the U.S. since the 1991 Gulf War, when American forces removed Iraqi troops following Saddam Hussein’s invasion. Currently, around 13,500 U.S. military personnel are stationed in Kuwait.
A number of American military contractors have been jailed in Kuwait on drug charges for extended periods, with families of the detainees accusing Kuwaiti authorities of mistreatment and abuse in a country with strict drug laws and a prohibition on alcohol.
Allegations of fabricated evidence and baseless charges against detainees have also surfaced, though the Kuwaiti government has yet to publicly address these claims.
Advocates are hopeful that the Trump administration will adopt a more flexible approach in securing the release of Americans detained overseas.
“The unfortunate truth is that these Americans were imprisoned for years due to a flawed policy that, prior to President Trump’s taking office, failed to adequately support Americans abroad who were not designated as wrongfully detained,” Franks conveyed to The Associated Press.
“These releases illustrate what can be accomplished when the U.S. government places a priority on bringing its citizens home,” he added.
Trump recently issued a proclamation naming March 9 as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, promising to “never abandon” Americans held captive.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
