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Jailed US national Whelan says he’s called 'Tourist' in Russian prison, reports say

The US national pointed out that overall, he has been treated well and gets along with his cellmates

NEW YORK, November 10. /TASS/. US national Paul Whelan, who was sentenced for 16 years behind bars for espionage in Russia, said in an interview with ABC that he is called "Tourist" at the Russian correctional facility where he is serving his sentence.

"The guards call me 'Tourist,'" Whelan said.

"It's pretty grim. Quite dilapidated," Whelan said when asked about prison conditions. "There's probably like 50 to 60 of us in the building. So we kind of live on top of each other."

The US national pointed out that overall, he has been treated well and gets along with his cellmates. "They've actually been quite welcoming," Whelan said. "Everybody works together as a team, so there is kind of a bit of a brotherhood."

US national Paul Whelan, who also holds British, Canadian and Irish citizenship, was detained by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on December 28, 2018 in Moscow while on an alleged spy mission. On June 16, 2020, the Moscow City Court found Whelan guilty of spying against Russia and sentenced him to 16 years in prison. Whelan pleaded not guilty dismissing the criminal case as provocation by Russian special services.