Today, the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack that snuffed out nearly 3,000 lives, is as auspicious a time as any to commit to the release of American hostages incarcerated in the Russian penal system.
They’ve done nothing wrong short of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Some names you may recognize. They include:
- Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has served four years of a 16-year prison sentence for espionage he never committed
- Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested and accused of espionage six months ago
- WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was arrested on drug charges to which she admitted, but released in December through a prisoner swap with convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the “Merchant of Death”
But one name you may not be familiar with is Jimmy Wilgus. He’s not a former military hero, his name doesn’t appear on the byline of a major national newspaper, and sports fans don’t cheer for him courtside.
New Jersey native Wilgus is an American musician with a young, pretty Russian wife, who just likes to make people happy with his music.
He was sentenced in 2016 to 12-1/2 years in a forced labor camp for a crime he denies committing. Around the time of his arrest he was told if he simply signed a form (printed in Russian that he couldn’t read) the matter would be cleared up.
It turned out to be a confession.
Jimmy was tried and convicted in a closed-door pro-forma proceeding, where everyone was assigned their role and each knew their lines. Both his wife and U.S. Embassy representatives were barred from the trial.
Newsmax TV’s Greta Van Susteren has been in regular contact with Jimmy, currently incarcerated at Russia’s OK-17 penal colony in Mordovia, and she wrote a piece for the September issue of Newsmax magazine titled “Free Jimmy Wilgus.”
During a recent call, Wilgus told Van Susteren that “My senator, Sen. [Robert] Menendez [a New Jersey Democrat], guided passage of the Levinson Act, which gives the secretary of state power to classify all of us here in Russia as us wrongfully detained. And yet we suffer each day unaided.”
Meanwhile his health continues to deteriorate.
Brad Bennett, who handles public relations for Jimmy Wilgus’ family, told Newsmax in April that "he had a stroke last year, and that has caused a lot of problems . . . he hasn’t had an MRI" although “the Russian courts have ordered one.”
Bennett added, ”They don’t even know what damage has occurred without one.”
In addition, "he has hypertension. My understanding is that they give him the medication he needs for that sporadically," Bennett said.
Crumbling relations with Russia add urgency to the situation. Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, bothered showing up for last week’s G20 summit in India.
During a recent phone call with Van Susteren, Jimmy reported that “on Russian news they’re reporting that the fires in Maui are running so rampant and out of control because the American government has spent all its money on Ukraine and doesn’t have money to pay attention to putting out the fires in Maui.”
Although that’s a gross exaggeration, it contains a germ of truth.
Hurricane Idalia ravaged Florida’s northwest Big Bend region immediately after the Maui fire.
The White House signaled Wednesday of last week that it had no interest in releasing $16 billion in funds needed for Florida disaster relief until Congress first approves additional funds for Ukraine.
The Ukraine conflict poses additional dangers for the hostages. If hostilities escalate, there’s nothing to prevent Putin from constricting them to serve as mercenaries to fight for Mother Russia. If they refuse they could become Russian prisoners of war.
Surely the administration wouldn’t tie efforts to release Jimmy and the other Americans unjustly imprisoned by Russia with funds for Ukraine, would they?
Meanwhile, concerned Americans can apply pressure by contacting:
- The White House here.
- The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations here
- The House Foreign Affairs Committee here
- The Department of State here
We can also apply pressure to your own individual U.S. House and Senate members.
Shortly before his death this month, the late Gov. Bill Richardson III, D-N.M., was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in hostage diplomacy seeking the release of 15 political prisoners, including Griner and former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed.
It’s time to carry on the work begun by Richardson. Do it for him, do it for the 9/11 victims, and do it because they’re good Americans at risk.
“Jimmy Wilgus doesn’t have a powerful constituency,” Van Susteren wrote for Newsmax. “It’s just him and two elderly parents. They don’t own a WNBA team or a national newspaper.”
And it’s those ordinary Americans who need our help the most.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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