https://sputnikglobe.com/20220712/paul-whelan-thanks-biden-for-continued-support-while-serving-sentence-in-russia---family-1097240968.html
Paul Whelan Thanks Biden for Continued Support While Serving Sentence in Russia - Family
Paul Whelan Thanks Biden for Continued Support While Serving Sentence in Russia - Family
Sputnik International
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year prison sentence in Russia for espionage, has thanked President Joe Biden for his continued... 12.07.2022, Sputnik International
2022-07-12T16:01+0000
2022-07-12T16:01+0000
2022-07-12T16:01+0000
russia
us
paul whelan
prison
espionage
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“Paul was able to communicate through a phone call yesterday to our parents his thanks to President Biden for reaffirming the administration's commitment to secure Paul's release and bring him home [7/11/2022]. Paul also thanked Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken and National Security Advisor [Jake] Sullivan for their continued focus on his case,” the statement said.On Wednesday, the Whelan family expressed frustration that Biden did not call them but solely spoke with the relatives of US basketball player Brittney Griner, who is tried in Russia on charges of drug possession and sought help in her case by writing a letter to the White House. Paul's family accused the Biden administration of inaction and lack of concern for his case.Following the criticism, Biden called the Whelans on Saturday.In addition, the Whelans expressed gratitude to former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson for his efforts to release Whelan.“Richardson… has indicated that he is traveling to Moscow to attempt to secure Paul's release, as well as that of Brittney Griner's,” the statement said.The Whelans expressed hope US officials will act more decisively and create additional shared understandings on which both, the US and Russian governments can move closer to resolving Paul's case.Paul Whelan is serving his sentence in Russia's Mordovia region after a Moscow court sentenced him to 16 years in June 2020 on charges of espionage. He has denied the charges but did not challenge the verdict in the hope of being part of a potential prisoner exchange between the US and Russia.The charges in Whelan's case were not disclosed, but a press release from Russia's Federal Security Service said he was detained in Moscow at the end of 2018 during a counter-espionage operation.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20220709/biden-speaks-to-paul-whelans-family-pledges-to-work-on-his-release-from-russia-1097135996.html
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us, paul whelan, prison, espionage
us, paul whelan, prison, espionage
Paul Whelan Thanks Biden for Continued Support While Serving Sentence in Russia - Family
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year prison sentence in Russia for espionage, has thanked President Joe Biden for his continued support, the Whelan family said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Paul was able to communicate through a phone call yesterday to our parents his thanks to President Biden for reaffirming the administration's commitment to secure Paul's release and bring him home [7/11/2022]. Paul also thanked Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken and National Security Advisor [Jake] Sullivan for their continued focus on his case,” the statement said.
On Wednesday, the Whelan family expressed frustration that Biden did not call them but solely spoke with the relatives of US basketball player Brittney Griner, who is tried in Russia on charges of drug possession and sought help in her case by writing a letter to the White House. Paul's family accused the Biden administration of inaction and lack of concern for his case.
Following the criticism, Biden called the Whelans on Saturday.
In addition, the Whelans expressed gratitude to former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson for his efforts to release Whelan.
“Richardson… has indicated that he is traveling to Moscow to attempt to secure Paul's release, as well as that of Brittney Griner's,” the statement said.
The Whelans expressed hope US officials will act more decisively and create additional shared understandings on which both, the US and Russian governments can move closer to resolving Paul's case.
Paul Whelan is serving his sentence in Russia's Mordovia region after a Moscow court sentenced him to 16 years in June 2020 on charges of espionage. He has denied the charges but did not challenge the verdict in the hope of being part of a potential prisoner exchange between the US and Russia.
The charges in Whelan's case were not disclosed, but a press release from Russia's Federal Security Service said he was detained in Moscow at the end of 2018 during a counter-espionage operation.
