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Trial Begins for Former US Marine Accused of Espionage in Russia

Charles Maynes

   MOSCOW - The long-awaited trial of a former U.S.Marine facing charges
   of espionage got underway in Moscow on Monday -- with U.S.officials
   accusing Russia of providing no evidence in a spy case that has
   provedan added irritant to already troubled relations between the two
   countries.

   Paul Whelan, 50, was arrested by FSB security agents in late December
   2018 after allegedly accepting classified materials on a
   computerthumbdrive in a central Moscow hotel.

   Whelan has repeatedly denied those charges, insisting he was in Moscow
   for a friend's wedding and had accepted the drive from a Russian
   acquaintance without ever knowing or viewing its contents.

   The former Marine, who in addition to U.S.citizenship holds passports
   from the U.K., Canada and Ireland, also says he's been mistreated and
   denied medical treatment while in detention -- an assertion that
   U.S.officials have backed repeatedly and did so again Monday.

   U.S.Ambassador to Russia John J. Sullivan joined his counterparts from
   the U.K.and Ireland at the courtroom Monday, where the presiding judge
   allowed them to speak with Whelan briefly before closing the hearing to
   the public -- a standard practice in Russian-led "top secret" espionage
   cases.

   "It's a sad day for me as an American and a U.S.ambassador, in these
   circumstances, to come and see a citizen of my country held in such
   circumstances, with serious health problems unaddressed, with no
   evidence that's been produced to justify his incarceration for well
   over a year, and his inability to communicate with his family despite
   repeated requests by him and by me to the Russian government," said
   Sullivan, in a statement afterward to the press.

   "I am hoping that, as this process moves forward, we see a fair and
   transparent judicial process,"Sullivanadded. "Every person, every
   citizen, of every country in the world, deserves that."

   In turn, Russia'sforeignministry has accused Whelan of feigning illness
   -- part of what the ministry says is Whelan's playbook training as a
   U.S.intelligence officer after being caught "red-handed" by Russia's
   security services.

   If convicted on existing charges, Whelan faces the possibility of 10-20
   years in prison.

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