LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th June, 2020) The United Kingdom and Canada have criticized the 16-year prison sentence handed to ex-US marine Paul Whelan by a Russian court on espionage charges on Monday.
Whelan, who holds US, Canadian, British and Irish nationalities, was arrested in Moscow in 2018 for receiving classified data. The 50-year-old denied the charges and will appeal.
"I am deeply disappointed by today's verdict and sentence against Paul Whelan. I have serious reservations about the legal process," UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
The diplomat vowed to continue providing consular assistance to Whelan and demanded that Russia respect his rights, including for a fair appeal process.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told CBC news that it was "deeply concerned" by the verdict and accused Russia of using its judicial system as a political tool.
