Paul Whelan’s family stays focused on his release as he nears 3 years in Russian detention

Nearly three years after her brother was detained in Moscow, Elizabeth Whelan is keeping her eye on the goal: bringing him home.

Paul Whelan, a US citizen and former Marine, was detained at a Moscow hotel on December 28, 2018, and arrested on espionage charges, which he has consistently and vehemently denied. He was convicted and sentenced in June 2020 to 16 years in prison in a trial denounced by US officials as unfair. 

“It’s very difficult in the early months not to be completely consumed by the emotion of the situation, worrying about how your loved one is doing, worrying day and night, and it to the point of actually being unable to carry on your daily work or advocate properly,” Elizabeth Whelan said in an interview with CNN. 

“And at some point, you realize that if you’re going to get your loved one home, that is not the way forward, that you have to be sensible and organized and keep your eye on the goal, which is Paul’s release.”

She said she has gotten support from lawmakers, including those from Paul’s home state of Michigan like Democrats Rep. Haley Stevens and Sen. Gary Peters, and her Massachusetts Rep. Bill Keating. She also praised the work of Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and his team, as well as US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan and the team at the US Embassy in Moscow.