US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said on Monday after meeting with Paul Whelan, a former US marine arrested on charges of espionage in Moscow, that he expected a just and transparent trial for his country's national
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2020) US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said on Monday after meeting with Paul Whelan, a former US marine arrested on charges of espionage in Moscow, that he expected a just and transparent trial for his country's national.
The US diplomat tried to meet with the detainee last week but was only allowed to see him on Monday ahead of the preliminary hearings on his case. The Moscow city court has extended Whelan's pre-trial detention until September 13, rejected the suspect's plea to reopen his case and ordered a hearing on merits. The classified case will be heard behind closed doors at a later date.
"We did have the opportunity to meet with Paul today, we are grateful to the presiding judge for allowing us that opportunity to speak with Paul. We saw him, we were able to converse with him ... I am hoping that, as this process moves forward, we see a fair and transparent judicial process. Every person, every citizen, of every country in the world, deserves that," Sullivan told reporters following the meeting, during which he was accompanied by UK and Irish ambassadors.
The US diplomat added that Paul had been held in Russia for 15 months "without evidence, without proper medical care for a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition, and without one phone call to his family."
The Russian authorities arrested Paul Whelan, who is a citizen of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland, on charges of espionage in December of 2018, though the detainee has maintained that he is innocent and insisted he came to Russia to attend a friend's wedding. According to information provided to the Russian court, Paul had been visiting Russia regularly since 2007.
