Prosecutor Visits US Citizen Whelan In Russian Prison After Reports Of Abuse - Lawyer

A prosecutor has visited American citizen Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, following a statement by the convicted that he was assaulted, and will later issue a statement, lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2021) A prosecutor has visited American citizen Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, following a statement by the convicted that he was assaulted, and will later issue a statement, lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov told Sputnik.

Last week another lawyer of Whelan, Olga Karlova, told Sputnik that Whelan's brother called her and said the prisoner had complained that he was hit by a junior employee at the facility. Prison administration denied the accusations, citing video showing no violence against the US national.

"Today, the prosecutor was supposed to visit (Whelan), as we submitted a statement to the Federal Penitentiary Service that the alleged assault should be investigated. This is a reaction. We will receive the answer in writing, " Zherebenkov said.

Whelan is serving a 16-year jail term in Russia's region of Mordovia in line with the ruling of a Moscow court delivered last June. The convicted did not challenge the verdict, in hope of deportation to the United States, but has denied the spying charges.