Paul Whelan featured in Russian propaganda video
A screenshot of Paul Whelan from the Russia Today video, made in May 2023, that was recently released by the Whelan family.
by Marsha Chartrand
Drama continues to follow the case of Paul Whelan, an American who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for nearly five years. He was falsely accused of “espionage” and sentenced to 16 years in what is considered, even by Russians, to be a notorious prison camp.
“The inmates of this prison are no ordinary hooligans,” says the voice-over on a recently released video from Russia Today. “Big-shot drug dealers, murderers, rapists … (these inmates) have taken more than one wrong turn in life.”
Trying to make Paul Whelan seem like a notorious criminal is only part of the “propaganda,” as his sister Elizabeth characterizes it. The video, she says, also attempts to undermine efforts that the U.S. is making to bring Paul home.
“I thought you might like to see a video of Paul Whelan at the prison camp IK-17 in Russia — we just got this today,” she wrote on Paul’s GoFundMe page on August 27. “It’s a propaganda piece from Russia Today, but at least we now know what our brother and son looks like these days. (And when I say ‘propaganda,’ this is a great example of the way Russia spins the information to undermine Paul and the U.S.’s efforts to get him home. Please watch this with the understanding that it’s a purposefully manipulative video. You will see what I mean.)”
Paul’s twin brother, David, made the following statement to the media as he shared the video link publicly:
“Paul Whelan has been a hostage of the Kremlin for 1,704 days. Today was the first time I’ve seen what he really looks like since June 2020. So thank you, Russia Today, because although your reporting is the worst sort of propaganda and you are the mouthpiece for war criminals, at least I could see what Paul looks like after all of these years.
“Our favorite moment is at 5:48 when he stares right at the camera. I see strength and determination and contempt. For those of you who have been asking about his work conditions or living conditions, this will give you some idea. …
“Not only did (Paul) not want to be interviewed, which you can see he politely declined, prison staff retaliated against him after he didn’t participate. Without any real content, the interviewer has crafted a dark and conspiratorial piece. Perhaps that’s what plays in Pskov.
“… (I)n the months since this video was captured in May, Paul has remained aware that his cause is not forgotten, that his freedom remains a priority for the White House. We see this in response to your media questions as well as from the State Department directly, as with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s recent tweet. Paul experiences it in extraordinary status updates from people like Secretary of State Blinken.
“I wish I could see Paul under better circumstances,” David concluded. “But it was good to see him again and to see the fight remains in his eyes. It is good to know Paul remains unbowed.”
Elizabeth Whelan closed her letter with a thanks for continuing to follow Paul’s case and for the generosity that has supported Paul (and his family) through this ordeal.
“Thanks to you, we know we can get him through this until eventually a way is found to get him home to Michigan,” she said.
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