Russia's Paul Whelan sentenced to 16 years in prison for spying

Text by: Daniel Vallot Follow

Spy or "simple tourist" depending on the version, Paul Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Russian courts. A very heavy verdict for this former American soldier who has continued to proclaim his innocence.

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From our correspondent in Moscow , 

The Paul Whelan affair began in December 2018, when the former soldier was arrested in his hotel room in Moscow. In his possession, a USB key given to him by one of his Russian acquaintances. The American explains that the key contains vacation photos. Counterintelligence services in Russia claim that there are, on the contrary, highly confidential information.

" They think they have arrested a James Bond on a mission, when I am only a Mr Bean on vacation,  " says Paul Whelan , who claims to have been "  trapped  " by the Russian services. For its part, the accusation is based, in addition to the famous USB key, on the numerous journeys made by the former soldier in Russia since the 2000s. And on relations established with Russian citizens, often soldiers. An aggravating factor in the eyes of the Russian services, Paul Whelan held several passports, the American citizen being also a British, Canadian, and Irish national.

Diplomatic tensions

Since its outbreak, the Paul Whelan affair has added to the many sources of tension between Russia and the United States. And the American authorities have constantly stepped up to denounce the conditions of detention of the former soldier, and those of his trial.

" I am disappointed and deeply outraged, " said American Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan, who came to witness the verdict in person, on Monday. An American citizen was sentenced to 16 years in prison, without any evidence. I hope that every sensible person, in Russia and elsewhere in the world, will have the same reaction. If they can do this to Paul, they can do it to anyone.  "

Prisoner exchange

At the verdict, Paul Whelan announced that he would appeal his conviction. The hope of a decision favorable to the American national is slim. And the scenario most often mentioned in Moscow is that of an exchange of prisoners between Russia and the United States.

Two names have been cited by the Russian press, those of the arms trafficker Viktor Bout and the pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko detained in the United States for drug trafficking. Is such an exchange possible? Neither the US nor the Russian authorities have confirmed this at this stage. But Paul Whelan's Russian lawyer said at the end of the court that this hypothesis was to be taken seriously. "  An exchange can take place,  " Ria Novosti Alexei Chepa, vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, also told the agency.

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