Family of Detained American Matthew Van Dyke Pleads for US Intervention

A Delhi court recently authorized the anti-terror agency to question Van Dyke and Ukrainian national Kaminskyi Viktor on September 2 and 3. Both men remain in judicial custody, accused of participating in a conspiracy involving ethnic armed groups operating across India and Myanmar. The charges, filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, stem from their alleged illegal entry into India and the provision of drone warfare training to militants.

Van Dyke’s family, supported by his organization Sons of Liberty International, reports that his physical condition has deteriorated significantly. They claim he suffers from leg injuries and vision loss, and is often unable to stand without the assistance of a wheelchair. While his legal team previously petitioned for private medical care and expanded communication with his family in the United States, the Delhi court rejected these requests on June 1, citing concerns over communications with a foreign government. His mother, Sharon Van Dyke, has publicly pleaded for his return, noting that he has been largely isolated from his family for months.

Van Dyke, a former documentary filmmaker who gained notoriety for fighting alongside rebel forces during the 2011 Libyan civil war, currently faces accusations that he acted as a mercenary. His legal representatives, Rohit Dandriyal and Rohit Gour, continue to advocate for his transfer to medical facilities, while the family maintains that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been briefed on the case through diplomatic channels.