Paul Whelan, a US Marine veteran who had been imprisoned in Russia for several years on what critics say were trumped-up charges, was attacked Tuesday by another inmate, his family said.
David Whelan said his brother was attacked at the labor camp on Tuesday afternoon.
He said his brother was working at the sewing table when a new inmate blocked part of the production line and Paul asked him to get out of the way.
“After repeated requests, the inmate hit Paul in the face, breaking Paul’s glasses in the process, and attempted to hit him a second time,” David Whelan said in an emailed statement. “Paul stood up to prevent the second attack and another inmate intervened to stop the inmate from continuing to attack Paul.”
He said his brother Paul had asked the prison warden if he could speak to the local prosecutor for an investigation into the possible attack.
“He is also concerned that an attack like this could happen at any time and, due to the variety of sharp tools in the workshop including scissors that other prisoners were holding today, could escalate into a far more serious attack,” said David Whelan. “Paul was targeted because he was an American and anti-American sentiment was not unusual among other prisoners.”
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital the agency is concerned about the incident.
Imprisoned US Marine veteran Paul Whelan was attacked on Tuesday by another inmate at the Russian labor camp where he was held. RT
“We are concerned about reports that Paul Whelan was assaulted by another inmate at IK-17 on November 28,” the spokesperson said in an email. “The US Embassy in Moscow has contacted Paul by phone and we understand he is receiving medical treatment following this incident.”
The State Department also urged Russia to release Whelan and ensure the safety of all US citizens held there.
“We urge the Russian government to ensure fair treatment and appropriate medical care for all US citizens detained in Russia. Russia should immediately release Paul Whelan,” the spokesman added.
Paul has asked the prison warden if he can speak to the local prosecutor for a possible investigation into the alleged assault. RT The State Department also urged Russia to release Whelan and ensure the safety of all US citizens held there. RT
Whelan was arrested in December 2018 on charges of espionage and espionage for the US government and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
He and the US have denied the allegations as the 53-year-old remains imprisoned in a labor camp in Russia’s Mordovia republic.
On Dec. 28, 2018, while staying at a hotel in the Moscow area, Whelan was arrested by the Security Service of the Russian Federation.
At the time, he had reportedly arrived in the Russian capital to attend a friend’s wedding and act as a tour guide for the groom’s family.
Paul Whelan’s sister, Elizabeth Whelan, holds a picture of her brother outside the White House, with the father of another former US Marine, Joey Reed, on May 4, 2022, in Washington DC. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY/Sipa USA Whelan was arrested in December 2018 on charges of espionage and espionage for the US government and sentenced to 16 years. AFP via Getty Images
However, Russian officials allege that Whelan met with an unnamed Russian national who gave the former Marine a USB drive containing classified material.
He was left out of the highly publicized prisoner swap between the US and Russia last year in which WNBA player Brittney Griner was released from Russian custody for the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed the “Merchant of Death.”
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
