Paul Whelan’s family pleads with Biden administration not to release imprisoned WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich from Russian prison without also releasing former US Marine
- The Biden administrator is negotiating with Russia to secure the release of WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich, who was ‘wrongfully’ detained last month on espionage charges
- WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner and another former US Marine Trevor Reed were released from Russia in prisoner exchanges with the Biden administrator in recent months
- Whelan’s family said a third prisoner swap without Paul, who has been held in Russia since 2018, would be an “unconscionable betrayal.”
As the State Department begins negotiations with Russia to secure the release of “wrongfully” detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the family of former US Marine Paul Whelan, imprisoned since 2018, is pleading with the government -Biden to release him too.
The Biden administration has successfully secured the release of two other detained Americans since the beginning of the year: WNBA star Brittney Griner who was held on drug charges and former US Marine Trevor Reed who was charged with assaulting Russian police officers .
Whelan’s family said Tuesday that a third prisoner exchange, conducted by the administration, in which Whelan is not involved, would be a “unconscionable betrayal.’
“We’ve asked our parents to tell Paul that Elizabeth and I can’t think of a scenario where the US government is conceding to the Kremlin for the release of an American that Paul was not involved with,” former Marine brother David Whelan and sister said. Elizabeth Whelan. said in a joint press statement first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Whelan’s family said on Tuesday that a third prisoner exchange not involving Whelan would be an “unconscionable betrayal”
Paul Whelan’s parents, who are in their 80s, want their son released from Russia before they die
“Paul’s fear of being left behind for a third time was apparently palpable in his conversation with our parents yesterday,” David Whelan continued, pointing out that his parents, who are in their 80s, want to see their son again before they die.
Whelan, 53, was arrested in 2018 after the Russian government charged him with espionage and convicted him shortly afterwards.
The State Department this weekend officially labeled Gershkovich as “unjustly detained” by the Russian government.
Whelan is also considered wrongfully detained and the US has for years said his espionage conviction is bogus.
The State Department has begun negotiations with Russia to free the “wrongfully” detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. He is pictured here in 2021
In a statement Sunday, Wall Street Journal publisher Almar Latour and editor-in-chief Emma Tucker praised the Biden administration for the nomination.
They say it will “mobilize additional resources and attention at the highest levels of the US government to secure his release.”
“We are committed to supporting Evan and his family and will continue to work with the State Department and other relevant U.S. officials to secure his release,” the statement continued.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday that President Biden is also focused on securing Whelan’s release.
“The president has made it clear that his national security team is and will remain focused on securing the release of Evan and Paul Whelan, both of whom are unjustly detained in Russia,” said Jean-Pierre.
The White House has declined to comment on details of ongoing negotiations with the Russians.