Convicted of espionage, American Whelan complained about the conditions in the colony

Whelan also complained about being pressured. He said that one of the employees of the colony hit him on the shoulder.

According to Merkacheva, the camera footage showed that the blow was in such a manner as “to pat a friend on the shoulder.” Whelan took it as an insult. In the HRC, his complaint was considered justified, since the employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service should not allow themselves such “liberties”. The prosecutor’s office also acknowledged the fact of pressure, Merkacheva noted.

They tried to punish Whelan for not saying hello in Russian, the HRC member noted. Due to the language barrier, he is also unable to receive medical assistance, as the doctors do not understand the essence of the complaints in English. Therefore, Whelan requires an interpreter. The HRC contacted the head of the department of the Federal Penitentiary Service for Mordovia and sent a report to the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia.

In September 2021, Whelan complained about being hit by a prison officer. The regional Federal Penitentiary Service called this message a provocation.

Security Director of the American company BorgWarner Paul Whelan was detained in Moscow in December 2018. He said he was in town for a friend’s wedding.

The investigation decided that the US citizen worked for the American intelligence services and collected secret information in Russia, tried to recruit employees of the FSB and the Ministry of Defense. A flash drive with information that is a state secret was confiscated from him, declared side of the accusation.

Whelan said that the device was given to him by an acquaintance. According to the American, he thought that there were photos from the holiday on the drive. Whelan accused the FSB officer, whom he had known for about ten years, of provocation, he denies his guilt.

In June 2020, at a closed meeting, the Moscow City Court sentenced Whelan to 16 years in prison. The American is in a colony in the Zubovo-Polyansky district of Mordovia.

In September 2021, the Supreme Court of Mordovia refused to consider the request to extradite Whelan to the United States and transferred the document to the Ministry of Justice. On December 29, the State Department called for the release of Americans who are serving sentences in Russia “on false charges.” The Russian Embassy in the United States recalled that Whelan had committed a serious crime.