7 People And Their Unbelievable Stories Of Being Locked Up Abroad

The prison system in the United States can be harsh, but just what is it like to be arrested in a foreign country? With language and cultural barriers and frightening prison conditions, many of these foreigners went to hell and back! In addition to these 7 people, you can learn about the harrowing experiences of others on "Locked Up Abroad." An all new season premieres on National Geographic Channel April 25 at 10 PM ET.

Erik Aude

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The Hollywood stuntman and actor was tricked into smuggling opium by his friend. He was sentenced to seven years in a Pakistani prison. Facing torture and beatings Erik had to fight to save his life and clear his name.

Thomas Hamil

Via channel.nationalgeographic.com

Thomas Hamil was working as a civilian truck driver in Iraq when he was taken hostage by Iraqi insurgents.

Mark Greening

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Mark Greening was living the good life in Japan when he found out his girlfriend was pregnant. So he decided to turn to smuggling hash. He would swallow hash pellets to get across national boarders. On a trip from Nepal, he disobeyed the golden rule of smuggling: never body pack. Because of sickness, he packed the hash on his body and into his juggling balls.

A video of Mark telling his experiences in a Japanese jail. He was given an extensive rule book was expected to do daily marches with other prisoners everyday.

Lucy Robertson

Lucy Robertson was arrested for drug trafficking in Argentina. She was arrested for smuggling 2 suitcases full of cocaine.

Lucy tells of her experiences getting arrested.

Laura Ling And Euna Lee

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Laura Ling and Euna Lee were reporting on the refugees along the border of China for Current TV. They were detained after illegally crossing into North Korea from the People's Republic of China without a visa. In June 2009, they were sentenced to 12 years in a labor prison for illegal entry into North Korea, and unspecified hostile acts. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were pardoned after former president Bill Clinton flew to North Korea to meet with the late Kim Jong-il.

Laura Ling tells of her experiences of being detained.

Roxana Saberi

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Roxana Saberi, an American journalist, was living in Iran writing a book. The Iranian government charged her of espionage, which she denied. She was sentenced to prison for 8 years, but her term was reduced to a 2 year sentence. Saberi explains that she was not physically tortured, but she was placed under "severe psychological and mental pressure." According to Saberi, her interrogators threatened her with many years in prison and even execution if she did not confess to being a spy.

Saberi speaks about her experiences.