Russia quashes appeal by ex-U.S. Marine Whelan

A Russian court on Monday rejected an appeal by jailed ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan who had challenged the refusal of a regional court to hear his case to be transferred to the United States to serve his sentence there, the Interfax news agency reported.

Russia convicted Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports, of spying last June and sentenced him to 16 years in jail. He had denied the allegation and said he was set up in a sting operation. Washington demanded his release.

Photo – US citizen Paul Whelan holds up a sign denouncing the legal proceedings against him as he stands inside the defendant’s cage before hearing the verdict of his espionage trial at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia, 15 June 2020. EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV