Former US Marine Paul Whelan, Imprisoned in Russia and Tortured by Prisoner

Paul Whelan, a former US Marine who is being held in Russia on espionage allegations, suffered an attack by another prisoner, according to his family, who also expressed concern that he may become a target due to his nationality.

The 53-year-old is now serving a 16-year sentence that the US government claims is unjustified, having been imprisoned since 2018.

According to a statement from his brother David Whelan, he was “hit in the face” on Tuesday afternoon by a recently admitted prisoner, shattering his spectacles.

He alleged that the event took place in the central Russian prison colony of Mordovia, in a clothes industry.

According to Whelan’s brother, other prisoners ultimately rallied to his help and guards refused to approach that area of the institution.

“Paul is a target because he is an American, and among the other prisoners, anti-American sentiment is not unusual,” he said.

Paul said that he thinks the jail administration is giving the assault serious consideration.

When Whelan was detained in Moscow in 2018, he was employed as a security guard for a US auto parts firm. He has always maintained that the evidence used against him was fabricated.

Both the US and Russia accuse one another of holding its citizens for political reasons.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia earlier this year on suspicion of espionage, and on Tuesday a Moscow court announced that his custody had been prolonged until January.

In recent years, many prisoner swaps have been organized.