Washington — Paul Whelan, the American businessman who the U.S. considers to be wrongfully detained by Russia, was attacked Tuesday by a fellow prisoner on the labor camp the place he’s serving a 16-year sentence, in line with his household.
His brother David Whelan wrote in an e mail that Paul detailed the incident in a cellphone name to his mother and father. Paul stated a fellow prisoner blocked a part of a manufacturing line as he was working at a stitching desk.
After Whelan repeatedly requested the prisoner to maneuver out of the best way, “the prisoner hit Paul within the face, breaking Paul’s glasses within the course of, and tried to hit him a second time,” he wrote. “Paul stood as much as block the second hit and different prisoners intervened to forestall the prisoner persevering with to assault Paul.”
David Whelan stated his brother described the assault as “comparatively minor” and reported it to a jail official.
Paul Whelan is “involved that these types of assaults can happen any time and, as a result of varied sharp implements within the workshop together with the shears the opposite prisoner was holding immediately, may escalate into a much more critical assault,” David Whelan stated, including that “Paul is a goal as a result of he’s an American and anti-American sentiment is just not unusual among the many different prisoners.”
Paul Whelan’s mother and father have shared an audio recording of the decision with the State Division and Nationwide Safety Council in order that they’ll deal with his security with the Russian authorities, David Whelan stated.
The State Division didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. The Nationwide Safety Council referred CBS Information to the State Division when requested for remark.
Paul Whelan was arrested on espionage prices in 2018 whereas attending a buddy’s wedding ceremony in Russia. He and his household have vehemently denied the espionage prices and the U.S. considers him to be wrongfully detained, a uncommon designation that places the total drive of the federal government behind securing his launch. He was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in jail and has been serving that sentence in a labor camp in Mordovia.
He has remained imprisoned whereas the U.S. has secured the discharge of Marine veteran Trevor Reed and WNBA star Brittney Griner, who have been each wrongfully detained in Russia after his arrest. Each Reed and Griner have been launched in prisoner swaps between Washington and Moscow.
The U.S. is now additionally searching for the discharge of Wall Road Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia for 10 months on unsubstantiated espionage prices. On Tuesday, a Russian court docket prolonged his detention by way of the tip of January as he awaits trial.
Whelan and his household have voiced concern that he might be left behind once more because the U.S. seeks the discharge of Gershkovich.
His sister, Elizabeth Whelan, visited Washington in September to stress officers to do extra to carry her brother dwelling.
“I do not know what the Russians are asking for at this specific level, however no matter it’s, it had higher be attainable,” she informed CBS Information on the time.