WASHINGTON — George Glezmann has always possessed a sense of curiosity and adventure.
He became so curious about the world he earned a degree in cultural anthropology later in life. It was that interest in different cultures and countries that led Glezmann, an Atlanta resident, to visit more than 100 countries — including Afghanistan.
During that visit, in December 2022, Glezmann, 65, was seized and detained without cause by Taliban officials soon after his arrival, said Dennis Fitzpatrick, an attorney who is working with Glezmann’s family to obtain his release.
“He entered Afghanistan lawfully. He’s very curious about old buildings and artifacts and cultural things, and he was just going to explore for a couple of days, and then he was going to move on and come home,” said Fitzpatrick, who previously worked on international hostage cases in the U.S. Department of Justice.
“It’s been 18 months now. It’s time for him to come home, and it’s time for the Taliban to let him go,” Fitzpatrick said.
The troubles of Glezmann and other detained Americans were on the minds of lawmakers in Congress on Thursday, as a U.S. House panel held a hearing on the plight of Americans being held overseas.
U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee, used the hearing to demand a more urgent response by State Department officials to the detention of Tigran Gambaryan, a former Internal Revenue Service investigator and now an executive with Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
Gambaryan went to Nigeria for a meeting with government officials about financial compliance issues in that nation. Instead of a two-day business trip, he was arrested and tossed in jail.
“He is a U.S. citizen,” said McCormick, who expressed frustration with what he felt like was an indifferent State Department response. “This guy deserves better.”
With families of some missing Americans in the audience, lawmakers engaged in a wide-ranging debate with State Department officials as some questioned recent prisoner swaps made by the Biden administration.
“The decisions are hard,” said Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.
Glezmann’s family is pressing for action, in part out of concern for his health. He has a benign tumor on his face that could begin affecting his vision, Fitzpatrick said.
His wife receives phone calls from Glezmann about once a month, but they have not been in contact with his captors. She has declined media interviews.
Glezmann’s family has remained puzzled about why he was detained. He is a Delta Air Lines mechanic and generally stays out of politics.
“He’s not a political person,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s a good citizen. He had no nefarious intent. It genuinely was just curiosity and a lifelong passion for visiting different cultures.”
Fitzpatrick said the administration has been attentive to Glezmann’s case. U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, as well as other members of Georgia’s congressional delegation, have also been involved in the effort.
“They’re definitely tuned in and concerned,” he said.
Fitzpatrick said the U.S. needs a “willing partner on the other side” to engage in a negotiation, but he is advocating for greater urgency.
“We want the United States to consider all options that are in the negotiation playbook to secure George’s release,” he said. “A lot of that is motivated by his health condition, and it should motivate the U.S. government, including the White House.”
Over the past decade, the federal government has improved its response to U.S. citizens who are detained overseas.
Otto Warmbier, a University of Virginia student, entered North Korea as part of a guided tour group and was later arrested as he prepared to depart from the airport. Officials alleged he stole a propaganda poster from his hotel and imprisoned him. He died in 2017, days after he was returned home to his family.
Brittney Griner, an American basketball player, was arrested in Russia in 2022 while carrying less than 1 gram of medically prescribed cannabis oil, which is illegal in Russia. The State Department determined she was wrongfully detained and exchanged an arms dealer for her release after 10 months of captivity.
Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was detained in Russia on charges of espionage in 2023. Russian officials announced Thursday that they are moving ahead with prosecuting him. A spokesperson for President Joe Biden told reporters in December that Gershkovich’s release was a priority.
So far, 47 Americans have been released during the Biden administration, which has been more open to making deals to win their freedom. Those deals have sparked concerns that it might spur further hostage taking — but so far, that hasn’t happened.
“My numbers are actually going down,” said Carstens, who acknowledged he was surprised by that outcome.
“To an extent, it’s always unpalatable,” Carstens added. “But really, the alternative is those Americans don’t come home.”
