Who is Paul Whelan? When was Paul Whelan Arrested in Russia? Why was Paul Whelan Arrested in Russia?
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Updated Aug 02, 2024
Who is Paul Whelan?
Paul Nicholas Whelan is a Canadian who also holds U.S., British, and Irish citizenship. He was a U.S. Marine but left the service in 2008 after being dishonorably discharged due to a conviction for theft-related crimes. Here is the biography of Paul Nicholas.
| Full Name | Paul Nicholas Whelan |
| Date of Birth | March 5, 1970 (age 54) |
| Birthplace | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Citizenship | Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States |
| Detained | December 28, 2018 |
| Detainment Country | Russia |
| Conviction | Espionage |
| Sentence | 16 years in prison |
When was Paul Whelan Arrested in Russia?
Paul Whelan was arrested in Russia on December 28, 2018, and accused of being a spy. On June 15, 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. He was released on August 1, 2024, as part of a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia, which took place in Ankara, Turkey. This historic exchange also included the release of American journalist Evan Gershkovich and two dozen other detainees.
Why was Paul Whelan Arrested in Russia?
Paul Whelan, a 54-year-old former U.S. Marine, was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison after a secret trial in June 2020. He was convicted of spying, but he and the U.S. government argue that these charges were made up to use him as a political pawn.
Whelan was visiting Moscow for a friend's wedding when he was arrested in 2018, and the U.S. has said he was wrongfully detained. In his first interview after being convicted, Whelan, who worked for the auto parts company BorgWarner, said he thinks he was targeted partly because of retaliation related to sanctions.
Is Paul Whelan Released?
In late July 2024, Whelan’s attorney lost contact with him. On August 1, 2024, Whelan was released at Ankara Esenboğa Airport as part of a prisoner swap with Evan Gershkovich.
David Whelan, Paul’s brother, thanked the media for their continued coverage during Paul’s 2,043 days in captivity. He also asked for privacy for his brother and said he would no longer speak to the press about the situation.
Who is Evan Gershkovich?
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter, was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian penal colony last month after being found guilty of espionage in a secret trial.
His newspaper and the U.S. government have criticized the trial, which lasted only two days, as a sham and denied the spying charges. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 while reporting in Yekaterinburg, and the U.S. has said he was unjustly detained.
