Kuwait Frees American Prisoners, Including Military Veterans and Contractors on Drug Charges

A group of American detainees has been freed by Kuwaiti authorities after years behind bars.

One of the six American prisoners flown from Kuwait to New York, is escorted by a Customs and Border Protection agent out of Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, on March 12, 2025. Pamela Smith/AP Photo

Kuwaiti authorities have released a group of American prisoners, including military veterans and contractors who had been jailed for years on drug-related charges, a representative for the detainees confirmed.

Jonathan Franks, a private consultant specializing in cases involving U.S. hostages and detainees, announced their release in a post on X on March 12, calling it a “really, really good day.”

Franks, who traveled to Kuwait to help secure the prisoners’ release, accompanied six of them on a flight to New York. He credited President Donald Trump and Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s top hostage envoy, for their roles in making it happen. Boehler recently visited the region, and the Americans’ release comes amid broader U.S. government efforts to repatriate citizens detained abroad.

In an interview with ABC, Franks said that Kuwait had agreed to free a total of 15 Americans, all convicted on drug charges, as part of an arrangement with the U.S. government.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Franks expressed gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for what he called a “kind humanitarian gesture.” He said his clients maintain their innocence and suggested that additional American detainees in Kuwait could be released in the future.

The U.S. State Department, which has not yet provided any details on the detainees’ release, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait has long warned that American citizens are subject to local laws, which “may not afford the same protections available to the individual under U.S. law,” according to an embassy statement. Penalties for violations can include fines, arrest, or travel bans.

“These bans, which are rigidly enforced, prevent the individual from leaving Kuwait for any reason until the matter is resolved,” the embassy states. “Travel bans can also be initiated by private citizens for almost any reason and may remain in place for a substantial period while the case is being investigated.”

Kuwait, an oil-rich Gulf nation bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia, has been a key U.S. military partner since the 1991 Gulf War, when American-led forces expelled Iraqi troops following Saddam Hussein’s invasion. Today, approximately 13,500 U.S. troops are stationed in Kuwait.

Kuwait has imprisoned a number of American military contractors on drug-related charges, often for extended periods. Families of those detained have accused Kuwaiti authorities of mistreatment and abuse in a country where alcohol is banned and drug laws are strictly enforced.

Others have alleged that Kuwaiti police fabricated evidence and brought baseless charges. The Kuwaiti government has never publicly addressed such allegations.

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump and his administration have made securing the release of detained Americans a priority. In recent weeks, the administration facilitated a prisoner swap with Russia to free American schoolteacher Marc Fogel and announced the release of a U.S. citizen held in Belarus.

The Americans freed in Kuwait on Wednesday had not been designated by the U.S. government as “wrongfully detained,” a classification that typically triggers high-level diplomatic intervention.

Advocates hope the Trump administration will adopt a flexible approach to securing the release of Americans held abroad.

“The sad reality is that these Americans were left in prison for years due to a misguided policy that had, before President Trump took office, effectively abandoned Americans abroad who hadn’t been designated wrongfully detained,” Franks told The Associated Press in a statement.

“These releases demonstrate what is achievable when the U.S. government prioritizes bringing Americans home,” he added.

Trump recently issued a proclamation declaring March 9 as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, with the president promising to “never abandon” Americans held in captivity.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.