One of the Americans not released# today is teacher Marc Fogel,## who was sentenced to 14 years in a# Russian penal colony back in 2022.## He was arrested in 2021 at a Moscow airport# for carrying medically prescribed marijuana.

Earlier this evening, before I spoke with# the deputy national security adviser,## Marc Fogel's sister, Anne,# joined us from her Montana home.

Anne Fogel, thank you for being with us.

ANNE FOGEL, Sister of Marc Fogel: Thank## you for having me.

It's really# important that I tell Marc's story.

GEOFF BENNETT: While some families are rejoicing# today as they have been reunited with their## loved ones, your family still has to wait.# How are you doing?

How are you holding up?

ANNE FOGEL: It's been a heart-wrenching 36# hours.

I spoke with Marc yesterday morning## on the phone.

And he -- when I realized# that he was still in Rybinsk and everyone## else had been pulled out of their penal# colonies, it was -- my heart really sank.

But it's really hard to give up hope.

And# for the entire day, I roller-coastered,## around thinking that Rybinsk is about# four-and-a-half-hours from Moscow.

And## I thought that maybe they would be driving him# down or I -- it was just really hard to let it go.

GEOFF BENNETT: When you spoke with him, what did# he say?

What did he tell you?

How is he doing?

ANNE FOGEL: He was kind of in the dark.

He knew## that something was going on.

And then# he saw a little bit of news about Paul.

They're constantly playing the television and# news stations in the penal colony that he's## in.

And so he knew something was going on,# but he doesn't speak Russian.

So he wasn't## exactly sure.

And he called.

And I didn't# want to -- I know this is crushing him.

So I didn't want to tell him what I knew.

But# we -- at that point in time, we were calling## our senators and calling the ambassadors that we# have been in touch with.

And we were trying to## get something activated for him.

And so it was a# crazy day of phones and messaging and e-mailing.

And it's all for naught.

GEOFF BENNETT: The national# security adviser, Jake Sullivan,## said today that the administration is working# to secure your brother's release from Russia.

Have you heard anything from the administration?

ANNE FOGEL: No, we have never heard# from the administration.

I did talk## to -- my sister-in-law and I did talk# to Jake Sullivan about two years ago.

But Marc has never been prioritized.

He# had -- he was convicted under the same## code as Brittney Griner, but he was never# designated as wrongfully detained.

And we## don't have the NBA behind us and we don't# have The Wall Street Journal behind us,## so it's been very difficult# for us to get our man out.

GEOFF BENNETT: Your mother, your 95-year-old# mother, filed a lawsuit in June against the## U.S. State Department over its failure to# declare Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained.

Why do you think he hasn't# received that designation## and how has it complicated efforts,# in your view, to secure his release?

ANNE FOGEL: I don't think he's been# designated because I don't think he's## important enough.

As I said, we just don't# have the notoriety, the celebrity status.

And, believe me, the worst part of# this process is being pitted against## other Americans.

I don't want that.

No# one wants that.

Marc doesn't want that.

GEOFF BENNETT: When we started our# conversation, you said you wanted## to get your brother's story out.

What do you# want folks to know about your brother Marc?

ANNE FOGEL: I want you to know that Marc# has had an outsized impact on the world,## essentially, because he has taught# internationally for so many years.

He has thousands of students that he has taught,# and he is -- there's not a hall of fame for## teaching, but he is the best of the best.

And# you have one of his students in your newsroom,## as we speak.

He has students all over the# world writing to him, praying for him,## making movies about him.

We need justice.

He needs# to come home.

He needs to be with his family.

His life and sons need him.

And this# is absolutely unfair that they did not## bring him home with the greatest historic# prisoner swap since the World War.

I wish I## could be more steady perhaps in saying these# things, but I feel very wronged for Marc.

And he needs to come home, and the# Biden administration has nothing## to lose.

They should have brought him home.

GEOFF BENNETT: Anne Fogel,# our thoughts are with you,## your family and your brother Marc.

Thanks again# for your time this evening.

We appreciate it.

ANNE FOGEL: Thank you for having me.