• Tweeter

  • republish

Vladimir Jerebenkov, the lawyer of the American accused of espionage in Russia, Paul Whelan, addressed the media, this Tuesday, January 22, 2019, before the Moscow court. REUTERS / Maxim Shemetov

Paul Whelan, the former US soldier accused of espionage in Russia has he been the victim of a machination? This is the scenario discussed Tuesday by the lawyer of the US national arrested on December 28 while in the Russian capital.

With our correspondent in Moscow, Daniel Vallot

It is a USB key given to Paul Whelan the day of his arrest which is at the heart of the whole affair. According to the former US soldier's lawyer, this key was to contain cultural and tourist information about Russia. In fact, investigators have found data classified as state secrets - the list of all agents of an intelligence service, according to information relayed by the Russian press.

Paul Whelan 's lawyer assures that his client did not even have time to check the key, as the arrest took place in his hotel room before he had the opportunity to consult it.

This Tuesday, the Russian justice decided unsurprisingly to keep the former American soldier in detention. During the closed hearing, Paul Whelan again declared himself innocent of the charges against him. According to his family, it was for the wedding of a friend that he was in Moscow. Accused of spying , he incurs 10 to 20 years in prison.

► (Re) read: Presumed spy: London warns Moscow after arrest of ex-Navy