US Citizen and Six Ukrainians Released by India After Six Months Detention

A United States citizen detained in India for over six months on allegations of supporting ethnic separatist movements has been granted bail and returned to the United States. Matthew VanDyke, 47, arrived on Saturday morning and was reunited with his family, according to a spokesperson for his relatives.

VanDyke was arrested in March alongside six Ukrainian nationals, all of whom were released on the same day. His Washington, DC-based consultancy states that it offers security consulting, training, and supplies to vulnerable populations at no cost.

The release has drawn political commentary within India. Jairam Ramesh, a legislator and spokesperson for the main opposition Congress party, suggested that diplomatic pressure from the United States was the decisive factor. “Obviously US pressure determined this outcome, but what did India get in return?” Ramesh wrote on the platform X.

Before his departure, VanDyke’s family expressed grave concern for his well-being. They reported that he had suffered significant weight loss following a month-long hunger strike at Tihar Jail, which he undertook to protest prison conditions. His mother, Sharon, stated that VanDyke required a wheelchair to attend court hearings.

VanDyke has consistently denied the accusations against him. His family maintains that he was in the region to document the plight of minority ethnic groups rather than engage in separatist activities.

Prosecutors recently declined to pursue terrorism charges against the group. Instead, they formally accused VanDyke and the Ukrainians of visa violations for entering restricted areas near the Myanmar border.

VanDyke has a history of involvement in conflict zones. A former filmmaker, he spent approximately six months imprisoned in Libya during the Muammar Gaddafi regime and later joined rebel forces opposing the dictator. During his incarceration, he was held alongside journalist James Foley, who was subsequently killed by ISIL in Syria.

In recent years, VanDyke was based in Ukraine, where his consultancy provided training to Ukrainian military forces. Diane Foley, James Foley’s mother and head of the foundation bearing her son’s name, issued a statement expressing deep sadness over VanDyke’s arrest and deteriorating health, adding that her organization had called for his release on humanitarian grounds.