US Edition‘House is gone. Cars are gone’: Paul Whelan’s life one year after his release from a Russian prison
DMITROVSKY DISTRICT, MOSCOW OBLAST, AUG 1 – Paul Whelan faces ongoing challenges including unemployment and lack of health insurance while advocating for legislation to fund care for wrongfully detained former hostages, lawmakers said.
- Paul Whelan, a Michigan native, was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 on espionage charges while attending a friend's wedding.
- His arrest led to almost six years of imprisonment in Russia, where he was forcefully detained by 20 FSB agents and ultimately received a 16-year sentence in a high-security penal facility.
- Whelan was released in a U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange deal about a year ago but has faced difficulties returning to normal life, including a six-year employment gap and denial of unemployment and health insurance benefits.
- He described the transition as "literally starting over," noted worsening prison conditions with insufficient guards, and said prisoners are told they must fight in Ukraine to gain release.
- Whelan has worked with Michigan lawmakers to push legislation funding medical and psychological care for wrongfully detained former hostages while continuing his healing and contact with fellow detainees.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Paul Whelan was released on 1 August 2024. ...
‘House is gone. Cars are gone’: Paul Whelan’s life one year after his release from a Russian prison
For Paul Whelan, returning to life in the United States after more than half a decade of Russian imprisonment has been “interesting” – and not without its challenges.
The Detroit News
Denver GazetteWhelan climbs 'steep hill' rebuilding life, a year after being freed from Russian prison
"The longer you're gone, the less you have when you come back," said Paul Whelan, who was held by the Russians for more than five years.
'I was not a spy.' 1 year after release from Russia, Paul Whelan details his time in captivity
Friday, Aug. 1 marks one year since Paul Whelan was freed. After being accused of espionage & spending more than five years in Russia, the Michigan native said his return home has been bittersweet
Paul Whelan Reflects on Life After Release from Russian Prison
timesng.com: Manchester, Michigan – Paul Whelan, who spent more than five years in a Russian labor camp, is adjusting to life back in the United States a year after his release. He was freed on August 1, 2024, in what was hailed as a significant diplomatic achievement. Whelan, a Michigan resident, was arrested in December 2018 […] This post Paul Whelan Reflects on Life After Release from Russian Prison appeared first on Paul Whelan Reflects on L…
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