George Glezmann, an American citizen who was arrested by the Taliban for more than two years, has been released, according to the State Department.
“Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines George Glezmann’s mechanic is on the way to meeting with his wife, Aleksandra,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement.
Rubio thanked Qatar, who He said “facilitated” the statement of Glezmann, for his “firm commitment and diplomatic efforts,” calling Qatar officials “instrumental in ensuring George’s release.”
“George’s liberation is a positive and constructive step,” Rubio added. “It is also a reminder that other Americans are still arrested in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free all Americans detained unfairly detained worldwide.”
Afghanistan is classified by the State Department as a country 4 country, which means that Americans should not travel there under any circumstances.
Glezmann, an airline mechanic for Delta Air Lines, was visiting Afghanistan as a tourist at the end of 2022 and intended to spend five days in the country exploring its history and culture, according to its family. He was arrested for the Taliban intelligence service on December 5, but was never accused of any crime or offense.
An image of a brochure published by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows the American citizen George Glezmann (c) posing for an image with the US official Adam Boehler (CL), former American sent to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad (CR) and Qatari diplomats in Kabul on March 20, 2025, ahead of his departure to Doha. Glezmann has been released after more than two years of detention in Afghanistan and is on its way to Qatar, the United States Department of State and a source with knowledge of the statement on March 20, 2025.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AFP of Qatar through Getty Images
In September 2023, he was declared unfairly detained by the Biden Administration.
The Taliban imprisoned Glezmann in a 9 -foot by 9 feet cell with other detainees and sometimes kept him in “lonely and underground confinement for months at the same time” According to a resolution Presented by the sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of the Native State of Glezmann of Georgia.
While he was in custody, Glezmann also suffered “facial tumors, hypertension, severe malnutrition and other medical conditions” and experienced a rapid decrease in his physical and mental health, according to senators.
According to US officials, conversations aimed at taking Glezmann home have been happening since shortly after their arrest.
Negotiators approached in January, when officials reached an agreement to bring Americans Ryan Corbett and another American citizen in an exchange of prisoners, but the Taliban rejected efforts to include Glezmann in the exchange.
“Today is a good day. We were successful in obtaining the release of an American citizen, Georg Glezmann, after two years of detention in Kabul,” former American ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad published in X after his release. “The Taliban government agreed to free him as a gesture of good will for @potus and the American people. George goes home with his family.”
Taliban Foreign Affairs Office Posted in x That American and Taliban officials met in Afghanistan on Thursday and discussed “bilateral relations” and “positive economic relations” while negotiating Glezmann’s liberation.
Glezmann has arrived in Doha, Qatar, According to the Qatari governmentAnd he travels with Adam Boehler, the special envoy of the Trump administration for the hostage response, and it is likely to return to the United States on Friday, according to an American official, although the plans could change.
“I can’t wait to see George and help him on his way to recovery while we rebuild our lives,” said Glezmann’s wife to WSB. “We are always grateful to President Trump for bringing George home.”
