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Convicted American spy asks permission to attend court hearing on his transfer to US

US citizen Paul Whelan was detained by Russia’s FSB in a room of the Metropol Hotel in Moscow while on an alleged spy mission

MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. US citizen Paul Whelan, convicted in Russia on espionage charges, has asked the Moscow City Court to be allowed to attend a court session on his possible transfer to the United States, his attorney Olga Karlova told TASS on Friday.

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Lawyers for American citizen convicted of spying request Russia transfer him to US

"In our motion requesting Whelan’s transfer to the United States, we are asking the court to ensure his personal participation in the court session," she specified.

According to earlier reports, Whelan’s attorneys have filed a motion with the Moscow City Court asking to transfer him to the United States to complete his sentence on the basis of the Convention of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

On December 28, 2018, Whelan, who holds US, UK, Canadian and Irish citizenship, was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in a room of the Metropol Hotel in Moscow while on an alleged spy mission.

The FSB opened a criminal case against him on charges of espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code. The Moscow City Court found Whelan guilty of spying against Russia and sentenced him to 16 years in a high security colony.

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