As Joe Biden’s deal to secure Brittney Griner’s release from a Russian prison were not include a release for Paul Whelan, on Thursday the U.S. Marine veteran expressed his dismay and that he was “greatly disappointed,” with the decision.
Whelan was accused of espionage and was arrested in 2018. Two years later, he was sentenced to prison and has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years since his arrest. The Canadian-born Marine veteran — who holds the U.S., British, and Irish citizenship is currently serving 16 years in a penal colony for a crime that he says never happened.
While Whelan was happy to see Griner released, he expressed disappointment at being left behind by CNN’s Jennifer Hansler on Thursday from the Russian prison.
“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here,” Whelan said.
In the days and weeks preceding the exchange, Whelan had actually begun to believe there was a chance he may be included in the prisoner exchange that involved Griner for notorious international arms dealer Viktor Bout, widely known as the “Merchant of Death,” as he told Hansler.
Expressing that there is still hope for the day that it would happen for him, Whelan’s family also released a statement in the wake of the news, saying that it was always a great day when a wrongfully imprisoned person was released.
Adding, “That early warning meant that our family has been able to mentally prepare for what is now a public disappointment for us. And a catastrophe for Paul. I do not know if he is aware yet, although he will surely learn from Russian media … I can’t even fathom how Paul will feel when he learns. Paul has worked so hard to survive nearly 4 years of this injustice. His hopes had soared with the knowledge that the US government was taking concrete steps for once towards his release. He’d been worrying about where he’d live when he got back to the U.S.” The family had been informed in advance of the news’s release that Paul would not be participating in the trade, according to his brother.
Noting that there had always been a chance that they would be freed one at a time, and that the two cases were also separate. Whelan’s family made it clear that they did not begrudge Griner to gain her freedom.
“[Whelan] has been there nearly 4 years on espionage charges … He was very disappointed that he was left behind, though he was very happy that Brittney Griner got out.”
— CNN’s @jmhansler on Paul Whelan, who is still detained in Russia, reacting to Brittney Griner’s release pic.twitter.com/DkfzcPJL5z
— The Recount (@therecount) December 8, 2022
Sources: Dailywire, Yahoo, CBSnews