Former US Marine Corps Paul Whelan has finally gotten free in the historic prisoner exchange with the West after 5 years of being held prisoner in Russia.
It was on 28 December 2018 that Russia’s Federal Security Service apprehended Paul Whelan after they allegedly found a USB drive containing classified information in his room.
Two years later, in June 2020, they convicted Paul and sentenced him to 16 years in prison during a closed-door trial in Russia.
But, on August 1, 2024, Russia handed back 16 detained Americans, including Paul Whelan, back to their home country in exchange for eight Russians.
The historic prisoner swap between Russia and the West involved 24 detainees, seven countries and years of delicate negotiations.
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) August 1, 2024
Follow live updates. https://t.co/VerFBrNqiL
Well, since Paul Whelan never married and didn’t have kids, his birth family, who had waited years and done everything they could for him to come back, welcomed him.
No doubt that Paul’s family greeted him with tears of joy as soon as the plane landed. Likewise, the small town of Manchester, where he lived, also celebrated his release.
The family of Paul Whelan especially includes his siblings, who restlessly put their efforts into bringing him back home
Ever since Russian authorities detained Paul Whelan, the Whelan family relentlessly fought for his release, stating Paul’s imprisonment was wrongful imprisonment.
David Whelan, Paul’s twin brother, became the family spokesperson. Over the years, he handled most news media interviews and drafted statements. He also tracked his brother Paul in the Russian press from his home in San Diego.
Likewise, Paul’s older sister, Elizabeth, advocated politely yet persistently in front of cameras and the government, saying that her brother Paul was in Russia for his American friend’s marriage.
How Paul Whelan's family coped with his imprisonment in Russia: We didn't have 'our hopes up too high' https://t.co/i9ryoWQT9L
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) August 1, 2024
They advocated for their brother’s release in front of both Trump and Biden’s administrations. Years after their efforts, the U.S. government finally heard their appeal.
When the confirmation of Paul’s release made media headlines, his family couldn’t fully believe it. David said, “Until I saw the White House statement, I wasn’t going to believe that it was 100% done,” because the family had been let down twice in prior Russian prisoner exchanges.
After Paul’s release, David expressed his happiness, saying, “Paul is free.” Further, the statement requested that the journalists allow Paul, his parents, and siblings some privacy for a while so that Paul could make an adjustment.
Additional Information
- Paul Nicholas Whelan holds four citizenship categories: U.S., British, Irish, and Canadian.
- When Russian authorities arrested Paul, he was the director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an international automotive parts manufacturer based in Michigan.
- The biggest prisoner swap follows the release of journalist former US marine Paul Whelan, American journalist Evan Gershkovich, Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and l legal US resident Vladimir Kara-Murza.
