Houstonian among 3 Americans released after years of being held in China

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Years after being thrown into a Chinese prison, a Houston man and two other Americans will soon be headed home after the U.S. secured their release in a prisoner swap with Beijing.

The State Department recently released a statement in which they say the three Americans were wrongfully detained, including Houstonian Mark Swidan.

Swidan had been wrongfully detained in China since 2012. He was on a business trip when he was accused of being part of a drug conspiracy. His mother told ABC13 he had been wrongfully convicted and then sentenced to death.

She previously also described the conditions her son was kept in and how he lost 100 pounds due to a lack of food.

ABC13 spoke to his mom in 2022 after Trevor Reed's release from a Russian prison. She said it gave her hope that one day Swidan would be in the same situation.

While the State Department did not give an exact time of when the three Americans will be released, they did say it will be soon.

Swidan's family issued the following statement regarding the news:

"The Swidan family is asking for privacy, but they'll have more to say later. They are grateful for this opportunity to be united in time for Thanksgiving."

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