An American citizen, Robert Vieira, held in Tunisia for over a year, has been freed and returned home.
The U.S. government secured Vieira’s release on Sunday afternoon, according to a statement from Adam Boehler, the U.S. special envoy. Vieira, who was engaged in missionary activities when he was initially taken into custody thirteen months prior, had been suspected of espionage by Tunisian authorities.
The situation involved delicate negotiations, with Boehler working closely with Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti to facilitate Vieira’s departure.
- Vieira was detained for over a year.
- He was engaged in missionary work at the time of his arrest.
- Tunisian authorities initially suspected him of espionage.
Following his release, Vieira traveled back to the United States with his family.
“We are grateful for the Tunisian government’s decision to resolve this matter and allow Mr. Vieira to rejoin his family after more than 13 months of detention pending trial,” Boehler stated.
Boehler emphasized the importance of the collaborative efforts with Minister Nafti in achieving this outcome.
The release occurred amidst other significant events in Tunisia, including the recovery of 19 bodies off the coast following an attempted crossing of the Mediterranean by migrants seeking to reach Europe and a decision by Tunisian opposition groups to decline participation in upcoming elections unless political prisoners are released.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for further comment but had not received a response at press time.
