Jailed U.S. Spy Whelan Asked Family Not to Visit Him

The family of United States citizen Paul Whelan, whom a Moscow court recently convicted of espionage, is not planning to travel to Russia to visit him at the penitentiary where he is being held.

“Unfortunately, none of us are likely to see Paul at [penal colony No. 17] IK-17. Paul has asked us not to come to Russia and we will honor his request. It would be hard on my parents to lose another son,” Paul Whelan’s brother David told Interfax.

He said he hopes Paul will be freed and return home to the U.S. soon.

David Whelan said he has no new information about his brother, as the letters the family received the previous week were sent by Paul back in May.

“Since the [Public Monitoring Commission of Russia’s internal republic of Mordovia] ONK Mordovia say he has arrived at IK-18, that is where we assume he is. Despite diplomatic requests, the Russian Federation has not confirmed his current location with the U.S. government,” David Whelan said.

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