A U.S. citizen detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage was in Moscow for a wedding, his twin brother said Tuesday, expressing concern about his safety.
David Whelan, whose brother Paul was arrested on Friday, told CNN that Paul’s family grew worried when he didn’t show up for a wedding ceremony between a fellow ex-Marine and a Russian woman.
“We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being. His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected,” David Whelan told CNN in a statement.
David said his brother flew to Moscow on Dec. 22. He was reportedly detained on Dec. 28, and the family learned of his arrest through media reports, David said.
“When we couldn’t get ahold of him initially, we were worried, and we are still worried now, but at least we know he is alive,” he told CNN.
The Federal Security Service of Russia said Monday that its officers had detained Paul Whelan during a spy operation in Moscow, but did not offer details on Whelan’s alleged misdeeds.
The spying charges leveled against Whelan could carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years, The Associated Press reported.
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Brother says American arrested as spy was in Russia for a wedding https://t.co/L1vOBoVZzd pic.twitter.com/evB7btKA2U
— The Hill (@thehill) January 1, 2019
The arrest of American Paul Whelan in Moscow by the FSB as he was visiting Russia to attend a wedding looks increasingly like a hostage situation. All foreign travellers to Russia should beware that anything could happen. The US government should intervene decisively in this case https://t.co/0qK6Uwmz5s
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) January 1, 2019
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