American Jailed in Moscow on Secret agent Fees Says Guards Injured Him

MOSCOW — Paul N. Whelan, a retired United States Marine who has been jailed in Russia for 8 months on espionage fees, stated on Friday that jail guards had injured him.

The remarks got here all the way through a court docket listening to on whether or not to increase his detention in Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo Jail, which started in overdue December. The court docket ordered him held for every other two months.

“The prosecutor’s place of business additionally is aware of that I used to be injured through safety guards within the pretrial detention middle,” Mr. Whelan used to be quoted as pronouncing through Interfax, a Russian information company, including that he used to be in “nice ache.”

“Even Salem witches had extra alternatives to shield their rights,” Mr. Whelan instructed the court docket.

The pass judgement on in Lefortovo District Court docket pushed aside his request that the prosecutor be modified, however summoned an ambulance for a health care provider to inspect him.

Mr. Whelan’s legal professional, Vladimir Zherebenkov, stated that Mr. Whelan had requested to be transferred to a greater mobile for the reason that tv labored poorly and the radio by no means. The request used to be granted, however the switch annoyed a hernia, he instructed Interfax.

The investigation will have to be finished quickly and a tribulation will possibly get started later within the fall, Mr. Zherebenkov stated.

“We are hoping that Paul’s case is going to trial abruptly in order that he can talk to the false fees laid towards him,” his circle of relatives stated in a remark ahead of the listening to. “We can proceed to hunt his freedom and search for a diplomatic answer that can deliver him again to his circle of relatives.”

All over a an identical court docket look in June, Mr. Whelan, a supporter of President Trump, pleaded for lend a hand, pronouncing, “Mr. President, we can’t stay The united states nice except we aggressively give protection to and shield Americans anywhere they’re on the planet.”

The Russian government have been making an attempt “to power a confession,” he stated at that listening to. “My existence has been threatened; my rights had been denied.”

Mr. Whelan, 49, who used to be the director of company safety for an auto-parts maker, traveled to Russia overdue ultimate yr to wait a chum’s wedding ceremony. He used to be arrested on Dec. 28 in a resort room in central Moscow after receiving a flash power that investigators stated contained categorised knowledge.

He anticipated the USB stick to comprise vacation footage, his attorneys stated. In January, Mr. Whelan used to be charged with spying on behalf of the USA — an accusation that he has denied.

After his arrest, it emerged that along with the USA he used to be additionally a citizen of Canada, Britain and Eire. All 4 international locations are tracking the case.