Russian lawyers for Paul Whelan ask Moscow court to let American finish his sentence in US

Lawyers representing Paul Whelan, an American citizen imprisoned in Russia, have asked a court in Moscow to let him serve out the remainder of his sentence in the U.S.

Russian lawyers for Mr. Whelan, a 51-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Novi, Michigan, said they filed a petition requesting the transfer Friday in Moscow City Court.

Mr. Whelan was arrested in Moscow in late 2018 and charged with spying. He was convicted of espionage during a close trial in 2020, sentenced to 16-years imprisonment and sent to a prison camp in Mordovia.

Olga Karlova told The Detroit News that she was unsure when the court might consider and rule on the request she filed, the newspaper reported.

“Paul asked us to start the process when we visited him in Mordovia in June,” said Ms. Karlova. “He is virtually incommunicado. We are not able to speak with him.”

Russian authorities claim Mr. Whelan was caught red-handed. He insists he is innocent and has said there is no evidence implicating him and that his prosecution and punishment are politically motivated.

David Whelan, the prisoner’s twin brother, confirmed the petition had been filed but raised concerns about potentially allowing the transfer to move ahead.

“While it might be positive to have Paul out of Russia, a successful transfer allows the Russian government to launder wrongful convictions,” he said in an email to reporters.

“Paul would then be serving a 16-year sentence for a crime he didn’t commit, only in a U.S. prison and without a possibility to appeal the wrongful conviction. That doesn’t seem like fairness or justice,” he said.

President Biden previously said he discussed the cases of both Mr. Whelan and Trevor Reed, another Marine imprisoned in Mordovia, when he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva in July.

More recently, the Senate passed resolutions last month pressing Moscow to release both prisoners.

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