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The family of an American imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates slammed the Biden administration for ignoring their family’s plea for help shortly after his release WNBA star Britney Greener.
Zack Shahin has spent 15 years in a Dubai jail and is dying, family says – but Biden administration rejects their request to intervene to bring him back Emergency appeal from home.
“I feel like the United Arab Emirates helped seal the deal for Griner’s release, which is a slap in the face for me and my family,” Zack’s son Ramy Shahin told reporters. Co-host Rachel Campos Duffy Sunday. “They gave my father’s case … without a trace of respect.”
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“He is an American citizen abandoned by the Biden administration and the State Department,” he continued. “Nobody responded to our calls for help and then saw Brittney Griner getting all the attention… Maybe we’re not famous enough. We’re just a normal American family and they just ignore us.”
Zach was kidnapped in a 2008 Business Conference Regarding fraud allegations. He was jailed for more than five years in horrific conditions, but his family stresses his innocence.
Zack’s son Rami said the whole family is still “heartbroken” by his father’s imprisonment.
(Provided by the Shaheen family)
His family told Fox & Friends Weekend that Zach has spent the past three months fighting for his life in the hospital, facing numerous surgeries as his body continues to battle infections.
Parts of Zach’s body were reportedly removed as the infection continued to spread.
His family said they had pushed for government intervention through the Levinson Act, which provides resources for loved ones whose lives are at risk family members detained abroad, But all without success.
Zucker’s case met most of the criteria under the bipartisan measure, but the government ignored it, said his sister-in-law, Aida Dagher.
Zach’s physical and mental health deteriorated severely in prison, and his family said he would not live long.
(Provided by the Shaheen family)
In order to let Zac go home, his family submitted a letter of plea to the State Department on November 23. The Shaheen couple went back and forth with State Department officials for nearly two weeks, revising their letters until they were finally sent to Emirates, United Arab Emirates, on Dec. 6.
Unbeknownst to the Shaheen family, the United States was simultaneously negotiating the release of WNBA star Britney Greenerthe UAE helped facilitate the process.
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“We had seven of the 11 criteria, but we didn’t get any sort of response,” Dagher said. “We’re just ignorant. In fact, we’re getting ignorance and ignorance from the State Department, from the Biden administration. Total silence. We demand answers. Why was he turned down? President Biden promised to deal with wrongly detained Americans. He Wrongly detained.”
“We don’t want to talk about how innocent he is here because he’s … it took them nine and a half years to convict him,” she continued. “They don’t have any animosity towards him. The big four audit firms checked his books. Nothing, no regulations, nothing.”
Zach is originally from Lebanon, but moved to Texas as a child. He worked his way up the ranks at PepsiCo, first as a truck driver in his hometown of Houston.
The last person to see Zach in jail was Martin Lonergan “Inhuman” and “degrading” conditions He is currently facing a fight for his life.
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He said he was there for 10 months. His bed was never changed, he had no fresh air, no bedding, and no nourishment.
Martin Lonergan, who spent 279 days in a Dubai prison with Zak, said he lost a third of his body weight and suffered a heart attack due to the inhumane conditions.
(courtesy of Martin Lonergan)
While he was there, Lonergan said he lost about 77 pounds himself.
“Zach is dying … I don’t know how long he’s going to live,” Martin Lonergan said. “His mental health is not good. He has tried to take his own life several times recently. His conditions are too harsh. It is a wonderful and amazing place for a five-star hotel, but on the road , there is a hell you can’t imagine”
Fox News’ Teny Sahakian contributed to this report.
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