From Russia, Paul Whelan still awaits justice
The small but dedicated group of walkers in November in support of the release of Paul Whelan, who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for almost five years. Paul’s parents, Rosemary and Ed, are in the front row, center and right.
by Marsha Chartrand
On December 8, Elizabeth Whelan, Organizer of the Whelan Family’s “Free Paul Whelan” GoFundMe page, wrote a touching update on the situation that her brother is currently facing in Russia, ending with a dictated quote from Paul that is a harshly critical departure from his usual gracious tone. It is evident from that tone that Paul’s, and the family’s, patience is getting stretched beyond its normal limits.
“Let me thank you with all my heart and all our family’s gratitude for your help and support for our brother and son, Paul Whelan,” Elizabeth began her update. “This has been a difficult year for us all, but we will persevere, and as always, 100% of your donations go to Paul’s care and upkeep in the prison in Mordovia.”
Yet another offer was recently made by the U.S. to the Russians and rejected by them. And now, on the cusp of the five-year anniversary of Paul’s wrongful detainment, this is where things stand. On December 8, it had been a full year since the U.S. was last able to successfully return an American (Brittney Greiner) from being wrongfully detained by Russia, according to David Whelan. Another year that Paul has had to wait for the U.S. government to go beyond words: “top priority” or “substantial proposal.”
“What do they even mean any more?” David asks. “If Paul’s case was truly a top priority, you would think the White House would be moving mountains to secure his freedom. But they aren’t. It has taken nearly twelve months for the U.S. to gather its resources and make a singular offer for Paul’s freedom. The offer was rejected. And we are once again back at square one, no further ahead than we were back on December 28, 2018. If there remain any stones to unturn, now is the time to uncover them.”
Paul spoke to his parents, Rosemary and Ed Whelan of Manchester, as he does most days, on Thursday, December 7, 2023. During that call, he asked them to pass on this statement from him in light of the year that has passed since December 8, 2022. Paul said, as relayed via his parents:
“A year has passed since the last prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia, a trade that left me behind for a second time. I sit here, an innocent man, for nearly five years while my life is bartered for in a diplomatic dispute that involves me only because I’m an American citizen. That is the only crime I have committed in Russia: being an American.
“The fake espionage case, amateurish as it was, has been debunked for years. Russia holds me for a king’s ransom, constantly asking for more and more for the life of a tourist wrongfully detained. My parents are quite elderly and I have given up hope of seeing them again. Friends have moved on, relatives have passed away, as has my long-suffering golden retriever, Flora, who for 15 years and four days eagerly awaited my return home.
“The Russians have ruined my life. One that is destined to end in a slave labor camp, fraught with intolerable conditions for no reason other than a hatred of human rights and freedoms. I have been denied medical care that resulted in emergency surgery. Two prison officials were disciplined for misconduct towards me. I was recently assaulted by a prisoner for no reason other than being an American citizen.The unconscionable act of leaving me behind twice now has devalued my life in these people’s minds. The Russian government does nothing to ensure my safety. What will happen next? I remember a sense of shock when a young American citizen was left to die in North Korea by an administration that did not do enough to get him home. Now I am living that nightmare.
“For nearly five years, I’ve been told that my release was a priority. I was told that everyone was doing everything they could to secure my release. In my mind, that has not been done at all. I’ve been promised that the United States is coming for me. I hope that happens before it’s too late. Russia holds an innocent man in a country that does not honor the rule of law.
“This game of diplomatic niceties and pleasant dialog needs to end. The White House, National Security Council, and Department of State must take decisive action to secure my release. President Biden, I have paid a high price for being an American citizen. A promise is a promise. The clock is ticking on getting this done. Please bring me home. Thank you very much to my family, friends, and supporters for your tireless efforts and for enduring this tiresome nonsense.”
Friday marked Paul’s 1,806th day as a Kremlin hostage. Every day he spends there is an injustice. The Whelan family calls on the U.S. government to do what is necessary, now, to bring Paul home. They ask that his, and their, adopted community of Manchester will join them in whatever way they see fit to help Bring Paul Home.
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