With news of American Wall Street Journalist Evan Gershkovich being detained in Russia for alleged spying, the public remembered Paul Whelan, a businessman who is also currently detained in Russia. Whelan has been charged with espionage and sentenced to 16 years in Kremlin prison.
Paul Whelan was a former U.S. marine that is being detained in Moscow for almost five years now. He is accused of espionage after receiving a digital package while in Russia. Whelan served on the police force before joining the Marines in 1994. He was dishonorably discharged from service after allegations of larceny. According to CNN reports, Whelan was caught using other people’s social security numbers.
After his discharge, he lived his life as a private citizen working for a security agency. He has visited Russia a few times before his detention in 2018. The public was expecting the U.S. government to negotiate his freedom by exchanging a Russian detainee in the U.S. to bring him back home. However, this did not happen.
It has been almost five years since Whelan’s arrest and the U.S. government has had chances to arrange his release. There were other Americans detained after Whelan like WNBA player Brittany Griner who was able to come home after a successful prisoner exchange. However, Whelan is still unable to come home.
Now the public is questioning the government’s decision on Whelan’s case after Wall Street journalist Gershkovich was detained for suspected espionage. The U.S. government has expressed that they have exerted efforts to bring the journalist home.
The government has reasoned that Whelan’s release is not as fast as the prior detainees because the Russian government is treating his case differently. Whelan’s family has been clamoring for his going home for years.
After the news of the journalist’s arrest for the same allegations, the question of when Whelan’s prisoner exchange will happen has resurfaced.
Whelan’s brother said that his resilience has been shaken by the recent news. His family further expressed that they feel frustrated about how long it will take for Whelan to come home.
Whelan’s brother David said, “On Friday, Paul told our parents he feels as though the U.S. government has abandoned him.” He also expressed discontent with how the government is handling Whelan’s case.
“The White House and State Department have repeatedly said that Paul’s case is the highest priority…But choices — to give concessions in one case and not in another — suggest that there is some prioritization going on. Some families get phone calls from the President. Some detainees are rapidly considered for wrongful detention”
There has been no word about a negotiation for a prisoner exchange in Whelan’s case from the White House yet. But his family is calling for the government to take action and bring him home.