Sixteen years in prison for spying. The United States has said it is "outraged" by the conviction of Russian-American Paul Whelan in Russia and has called for his "immediate release". A Moscow court sentenced this Monday, the 50-year-old former marine arrested in December 2018 in the middle of a "spy act", according to the Russian security services, the FSB. He ordered that he serve his sentence in "a severe regime camp".
In a statement, the American diplomat Mike Pompeo deplored "a secret trial, with evidence kept secret, and without appropriate rights for the defense". "We have serious reason to believe that Mr. Whelan has been deprived of the guarantees of a fair trial, which Russia is supposed to assure him in accordance with its international human rights obligations," he added.
Paul Whelan denounced a "sham trial"
“The treatment of Paul Whelan by the Russian authorities has been appalling. Russia has failed to guarantee Mr. Whelan a fair hearing before an independent and impartial tribunal; and during his detention, she put her life in danger by ignoring his long-standing health problems, and kept him unacceptably isolated from his family and friends, "protested the American secretary of state again.
For his part, Paul Whelan denounced a “sham trial”, “a political trial” and proclaimed his innocence.
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- Spying
- United States
- Russia