Jeffrey Fowle, a 56-year-old American who had been detained by the North Korean government since May, has been released, the U.S. State Department confirmed on Tuesday.
Fowle had been at North Korea since late April on a tourist visa, but was arrested in May while trying to leave the country after a Bible that he left behind was found. Some reports say that his Bible was found in a hotel; others say it was left in a nightclub. The North Korean government considers any religious practices, and especially evangelism, as serious crimes.
The Swedish government had been significant in helping Jeffrey Fowle's release, according to Josh Earnest, the White House Press Secretary, as the U.S. government does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea. The U.S. has, however, attempted to send representatives to appeal for the release of Fowle and two other Americans, Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae, but Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, said that the North Korean government refused to meet them.
"While this is a positive decision by the DPRK we remain focused on the continued detention of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller and again call on the DPRK to immediately release them," Earnest said. "The U.S. will continue to work actively on them."
"North Korea is a country with egregious human rights violations and it's important that the U.S. continue to stand for the rights of all people, including religious freedoms, at home and abroad," Ohio Senator Rob Portman said. "My prayers are with Mr. Fowle and his family as he makes the transition home."
The two other Americans that had been detained in North Korea are both serving sentences of hard labor, with Miller serving a six year sentence, and Bae serving a sentence of fifteen years. Miller was arrested for tearing up his tourist visa and was convicted of intending to commit espionage. Bae, a Korean-American missionary, was arrested for "hostile acts" against the North Korean government.
There has been no explanation thus far as to why Fowle was the first to be released.
