US citizen sentenced to death for drug charges in China.

China has upheld the death penalty with a two-year suspended death sentence for U.S. citizen Mark Swidan, who has been imprisoned on drug-related charges for over 10 years. The U.S. State Department expressed disappointment and will continue to press for his immediate release. The United Nations Human Rights Council has determined that Swidan was arbitrarily detained, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz has called for his release. President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are personally focused on releasing Swidan and other U.S. nationals wrongfully detained or held hostage across the world.