MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. Paul Whelan, convicted for espionage in Russia decided not to appeal his sentence, his lawyer Olga Karlova told TASS.

"We have just visited Paul in the Lefortovo detention facility, where he made his decision not to appeal his sentence and filed a corresponding statement. After the sentence comes in effect, our client and us, we will decide whether to file a pardon plea," she said.

According to Karlova, her client does not believe in successful outcome of the appeal and does not trust the Russian justice.

Earlier, Moscow City Court sentenced Whelan to 16 years in prison over charges of espionage. According to Russian laws, his sentence will come into effect 10 days after a copy of the court ruling is handed to Whelan.

Whelan, a citizen of the US, the UK, Canada and Ireland, was apprehended by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow’s Metropol hotel during an espionage action on December 28, 2018. The Service’s Investigative Directorate initiated criminal proceeding against him over charges of espionage. The US national himself pleads not guilty and considers his case a provocation of the US intelligence services.