AUSTIN U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement on the announcement that Mark Swidan, a Houston resident, was released from Chinese prison: "After 12 long years of unjust imprisonment,

Swidan was arrested and imprisoned in 2012 in China on allegations of drug trafficking and sentenced to death. Texans in Congress have advocated for Swidan’s release for years. Members of both parties have denounced the imprisonment as politically motivated.

Texas lawmakers welcomed news that China is releasing Houston businessman Mark Swidan, who had been imprisoned since 2012, as part of a prisoner exchange.

Three Americans who had been detained in China for years have been released in a prisoner swap between Washington and Beijing.

Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung have been released from detention, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.

A Houston man will return home this week after being detained in China for over a decade. Mark Swidan from Houston was involved in a prisoner swap between the United States and China that also led to the release of Kai Li and John Leungas,

Houston native Mark Swidan had been jailed overseas for the past 12 years. He faced the death penalty for drug charges, but Texas leaders including Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have fought for Swidan's release for years,

In 2012, Mark Swidan was detained in China on drug-related charges. He was sentenced to death in 2019 during his detainment.