Detained American Paul Whelan appeared in a new video from a Russian prison, sparking reactions regarding his condition and continuing imprisonment on espionage charges, which he denies.
Caught on Tape: A video featuring Paul Whelan, broadcast by the state-controlled Russia Today, showed him in prison uniform among other inmates, operating a sewing machine, and eating.
* Whelan, a Marine Corps veteran, has been detained in Russia since 2018 and was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years on charges of espionage, which he strongly refutes.
* Whelan declined to answer questions in the video, expressing his inability to do an interview.
Family Reactions: Whelan’s brother, David Whelan, described the video as propaganda and revealed it was the first time he had seen his brother since June 2020.
* The RT crew reportedly visited the IK-17 prison colony where Whelan is held in May.
* In a statement, David Whelan said that prison staff retaliated against Whelan for declining to participate in the interview.
U.S. Response: The U.S. State Department considers Whelan to be wrongfully detained and has been in conversation with Russian officials to negotiate his release.
* Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Whelan’s case with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in March.
* The White House confirmed that U.S. officials have recently spoken with Whelan, expressing concern about his circumstances and reiterating calls for his immediate release.
Comparative Cases: While some Americans have been freed in Russia, others remain imprisoned on various charges.
* Names include Marine veteran Trevor Reed, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, musician Jimmy Wilgus, Thomas Stwalley, and Marc Fogel. All those accused refute the charges.
* Whelan’s case is hoped to be prioritized by the White House, according to his brother.
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