Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has denounced the conviction by a Russian court of U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, a former Marine, on charges of spying.
“The United States is outraged by the decision of a Russian court today to convict U.S. citizen Paul Whelan after a secret trial, with secret evidence, and without appropriate allowances for defense witnesses,” Pompeo said in a June 15 statement.
A Russian court sentenced Whelan, an American security executive, to 16 years in a maximum-security prison.
“We have serious concerns that Mr. Whelan was deprived of the fair trial guarantees that Russia is required to provide him in accordance with its international human rights obligations,” Pompeo said, while demanding Whelans “immediate release.”
Whelan, who also holds British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship, denied the charges of spying for the United States, saying he was set up. Whelans lawyer has said his client was handed a flash drive that had classified information on it that he didnt know about.
The 50-year-old corporate security executive from Novi, Michigan, was arrested in a sting operation in Moscow in December 2018 while he was there to attend a friends wedding.
Whelan has complained of poor prison conditions in Russia and has said his life is in danger. Last month, Whelan underwent surgery for a hernia.
“The treatment of Paul Whelan at the hands of Russian authorities has been appalling,” Pompeo said.
“Russia failed to provide Mr. Whelan with a fair hearing before an independent and impartial tribunal, and during his detention has put his life at risk by ignoring his long-standing medical condition,” Pompeo said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected allegations that Whelan has become a political hostage, saying during a conference call with reporters that his guilt was proven during the trial.
Peskov refused to comment on whether Russia could be eyeing Whelans exchange for some of its citizens in U.S. custody.
But Whelans Russian lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, pointed at Russian official statements signaling a possibility that Whelan could be exchanged for Russians.
“There have been proposals of exchange, the issue is being discussed,” he said.
Whelans brother, David Whelan, said in a statement after the verdict that he believes the conviction makes a prisoner swap more likely.
In an email cited by The Guardian, David Whelan wrote, “The courts decision merely completes the final piece of this broken judiRead More From Source
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