- Title: Russian court extends detention of former U.S. marine for three months
- Date: 24th December 2019
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) U.S. CITIZEN PAUL WHELAN BEING ESCORTED TO COURT ROOM, WHELAN GREETS JOURNALISTS VARIOUS OF WHELAN SPEAKING IN DEFENDANT'S CAGE
- Embargoed: 7th January 2020 12:15
- Keywords: Moscow court Paul Whelan U.S.-Russian relations spy case
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA002BBC51S7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: SEE EDIT 1097-RUSSIA-USA/WHELAN FOR COMMENTS BY DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE U.S. MISSION ON WHELAN AS WELL AS SHOTS OF U.S., U.K., IRELAND AND CANADA REPRESENTATIVES AT PRISON WHERE WHELAN IS HELD
A Moscow court on Tuesday (December 24) extended the detention of the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan until March 29 on espionage charges, Interfax news agency reported.
Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports, was detained in December 2018 and accused of spying.
Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman last week called for Russia to free Whelan.
Whelan was detained by agents from Russia's Federal Security Service in a Moscow hotel room on Dec. 28 last year.
Moscow says he was caught with a computer flash drive containing classified information. Whelan says he was set up in a sting and had thought the drive, given to him by a Russian acquaintance, contained holiday photos.
He has been held in pre-trial detention while investigators look into his case.
(Production: Gennady Novik, Maria Vasilyeva) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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