Support The Moscow Times!

Outgoing U.S. Envoy in Russia Calls for Paul Whelan’s Release

Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency

Outgoing U.S. Ambassador in Moscow Jon Huntsman has urged the Russian government to release Paul Whelan, an American detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage.

Whelan, 49, who Russian authorities say was detained while receiving classified information late in December 2018, faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of spying. He denies the allegations and believes he was set up in a politically motivated sting. 

Russia should “immediately release” Whelan because of his “deteriorating health” and a “lack of any evidence” in his case, Huntsman told reporters outside Lefortovo prison in comments published by RFE/RL’s Russian-language service Wednesday.

Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports, was detained by FSB agents in a Moscow hotel room on Dec. 28 after a Russian acquaintance gave him a flash drive. His lawyer said Whelan thought the flash drive contained holiday photos, but Federal Security Service agents say it actually held classified information.

Huntsman questioned the FSB’s version of events, saying “somebody would have seen something, certainly his lawyers would have seen something by now” if Whelan was caught red-handed.

The outgoing envoy also contrasted Whelan’s inability to communicate with his family: “The treatment that is accorded him here certainly is not equal to the treatment that is accorded to Russian prisoners in the United States.”

A Moscow court ordered Whelan to be held in pre-trial custody until Oct. 29.

Thursday marks Huntsman’s last day in Moscow as he is reportedly considering a run for governor in his home state of Utah.

During Huntsman’s tenure, Russia and the U.S. clashed over a number of issues, including Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election and its arrests of Whelan and U.S. citizen Michael Calvey.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more