Detained US citizen attacked in Russian penal colony
Former US soldier Whelan has been in prison in Russia since 2018 for alleged espionage. A fellow inmate apparently attacked him there. Washington reacted indignantly, saying that Russia must ensure Whelan's safety and release him "immediately".
According to his family, former US soldier Paul Whelan, who is imprisoned in Russia, has been attacked by a fellow inmate. On Tuesday, a new prisoner in the penal colony blocked Whelan's path and "punched him in the face", explained the victim's brother, David Whelan. The blows "smashed his glasses". In the end, other prisoners came to the aid of the US citizen, while the guards did not intervene, he added.
Whelan is being held in a penal colony in Mordovia in central Russia, where he works in a sewing workshop. The ex-soldier was arrested in Russia in 2018 and is serving a 16-year prison sentence on charges of "espionage". His family expressed concern that Paul Whelan's US citizenship could have been the reason for the attack. Paul Whelan had informed the prison administration about the incident, but was not sure whether they would take measures to protect him, his brother added.
In Washington, a spokesperson for the US State Department said that the US was "concerned" about the attack and that the US embassy in Moscow had contacted Paul Whelan by telephone. "We call on Russia to ensure the safety of Paul Whelan and all detained US citizens," said the spokesman, and again appealed to Russia to release the ex-soldier "immediately".
Another US citizen detained in Russia is "Wall Street Journal" journalist Evan Gershkovich. His pre-trial detention was extended on Tuesday until the end of January. He was also arrested at the end of March and is accused of "espionage". He faces up to 20 years in prison. He denies the accusations. Gershkovich is the first US journalist to be imprisoned on suspicion of espionage in Russia since the end of the Cold War.
Following the attack on former US soldier Paul Whelan in his Russian penal colony, the US State Department expressed concern and demanded justice. The spokesperson urged Russia to ensure Whelan's safety and swiftly release him, as the attack may be linked to his US citizenship and espionage charges. Additionally, the State Department has reached out to Whelan through the US embassy in Moscow.
Source: www.ntv.de
