Brother of Paul Whelan, Canadian imprisoned in Russia, stresses patience in wake of Griner release | 24CA News
The twin brother of an Ottawa-born man presently detained in Russia says his household is elated that U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has returned residence and they’re patiently awaiting the identical consequence.
“Every family of a wrongful detainee feels good for another wrongful detainee coming home, to know they are back with their loved ones,” David Whelan, brother of Paul, instructed 24CA News on Friday. “We hope that it will eventually be our day.”
Paul Whelan — a former U.S. marine who holds Canadian, American, British and Irish citizenship — has been imprisoned in Russia for practically 4 years on espionage fees. He calls the fees in opposition to him “garbage.”
Griner, in the meantime, is a WNBA participant who was imprisoned for practically 10 months after Russian authorities mentioned she was carrying vape canisters with hashish oil — a transfer some critics say is political. She was launched on Thursday in a high-profile prisoner swap with infamous Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout and arrived again within the U.S. early Friday.
David Whelan says his household was notified by the White House previous to the prisoner swap that Griner can be coming residence and Paul wouldn’t, which he mentioned allowed them to “process the information in private.”
“You have happiness for another family and a sadness for yours,” mentioned Whelan. “And maybe even anger toward the Kremlin [for] continuing to put Paul through this injustice.”
Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the UN and a negotiator who labored on Griner’s launch and Paul Whelan’s case, instructed 24CA News on Friday that he anticipated Whelan can be included with Griner in a of two-for-two prisoner alternate however mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin determined in opposition to it on the “last minute.”
He cites worsening relations between the U.S. and Russia as a attainable cause for why Whelan was not included within the deal — “I think President Putin didn’t want to give [U.S. President Joe] Biden a victory, the two-for-two” — however notes his launch is a “priority” and the Russians are actively negotiating.
“I was sad that Paul Whelan was not part of this,” Richardson mentioned of the swap. “I’ve been, for four years, trying to find formulas to get Paul back but it always seems at the very end there’s a road block.”
Basketball star Brittney Griner is again within the U.S. after being launched from Russia as a part of a prisoner alternate. During her return, she crossed paths with arms vendor Viktor Bout, whose launch was approved by U.S. President Joe Biden as a part of the deal.
David Whelan says his household would not know a lot in regards to the particulars of the negotiations to deliver Paul residence, however they’re making an attempt to be affected person.
“It just takes time. It takes the time it takes,” he mentioned. “We have to be patient while the U.S. government gets its bearings on how to deal with this new issue, [along with] nations like Canada and the U.K. and others … [on] how to deal with this new hostage environment.”
David says he hasn’t spoken together with his brother since October 2018, two months earlier than the arrest, and though he is aware of Paul is wholesome through every day calls with their dad and mom, they nonetheless fear for his well-being.
“He’s surviving, but surviving isn’t living and he needs to come home.”
