![]() ![]() "The severity of the sentence clearly demonstrates that Russia is using its judicial system as a political tool. Global Affairs Canada told CBC News it was "deeply concerned" about the verdict. Whelan's brother David said lawyers will appeal the verdict, which he denounced as political, adding in a statement that "the court's decision merely completes the final piece of this broken judicial process." Whelan was deprived of the fair trial guarantees that Russia is required to provide him in accordance with its international human rights obligations," he said in a statement. Watch | David Whelan reacts to brother's sentence: Pompeo said "the United States is outraged" by Whelan's conviction "after a secret trial, with secret evidence, and without appropriate allowances for defence witnesses." He described Whelan's conviction as "a mockery of justice" and demanded his immediate release. Ambassador John Sullivan denounced the secret trial in which no evidence was produced as an egregious violation of human rights and international legal norms. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Novi, Mich., about 45 kilometres west of Detroit, was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 while he was in Russia to attend a friend's wedding. ![]() The 50-year-old corporate security executive and U.S. Whelan, who was born in Canada, has insisted on his innocence, saying he was set up. The trial was held behind closed doors, because authorities said that was needed for the trial to consider sensitive data. ![]() The Moscow City Court read out the conviction of Paul Whelan on charges of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security prison. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who denounced the man's treatment by Russian authorities as "appalling." A Russian court on Monday sentenced an American security executive to 16 years in prison on spying charges, a verdict that drew an angry response from U.S. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |