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Russian Justice Ministry yet to receive request to transfer Whelan to US

The agency stressed that when these documents are delivered, the Russian penitentiary service will prepare materials required to consider this case

Paul Whelan Dmitry Serebryakov/TASS

Paul Whelan

© Dmitry Serebryakov/TASS

MOSCOW, September 14. /TASS/. The Russian Justice Ministry has not received a request of the defense team of convicted spy Paul Whelan about his transfer to the US to serve the rest of his sentence, the ministry’s press service told TASS on Tuesday.

"As of now, an appeal of the convicted person or his representative, relevant US institution, as well as a copy of the ruling of the Mordovia Supreme Court that entered into force have not been received in the Russian Justice Ministry," the ministry noted.

The agency stressed that when these documents are delivered, the Russian penitentiary service will prepare materials required to consider this case.

The ministry recalled that Russia and the US have the 1983 convention in transfer of sentenced persons to settle issues in this area.

Whelan, who holds US, British, Canadian and Irish passports, was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow on December 28, 2018, while on a spy mission. A criminal case was opened against him under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code (espionage). The Moscow City Court eventually sentenced Whelan to 16 years in a high-security penal colony.

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