Russian officials say Paul Whelan, the American whom they arrested in Moscow and may or may not have charged with espionage, will be allowed to receive diplomatic visitors from Britain, Ireland, and Canada since he also holds passports from those countries.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state news agency RIA-Novosti that the other countries have applied for consular visits and "if the arrestee confirms that he wants these visits they will be arranged."
Whelan's twin brother David said Monday that "the U.S. Embassy has indicated it will continue to lead on consular efforts, since Paul entered Russia on a U.S. passport."
Russian authorities are rejecting assertions Whelan is being held in anticipation of a chance to trade him for the return of a Russian citizen, such as confessed foreign agent, Maria Butina.
AP:
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that discussing a possible swap involving Whelan and Maria Butina would be premature because Whelan hasn’t been formally charged, according to Russian news agencies.
“As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort of another, it’s impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasn’t even been presented,” Ryabkov was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA-Novosti.
“Charges will be presented in the near future,” he said, according to the Interfax agency.
Some Russian news reports earlier cited unnamed sources as saying Whelan had been indicted on espionage charges that carry a possible prison sentence of 20 years.
Officials haven’t given details of Whelan’s suspected activities and he was initially identified only as an American. His concurrent Canadian, British and Irish citizenships became known on Friday.
Whelan's twin brother continues to insist Paul is not a spy.
AP:
His brother, David, told the AP that Whelan loves to travel and likes to “interact with the people in the places that he goes,” but that Whelan would be too “conspicuous” to be selected as a spy.
David Whelan said his family had had no direct contact with Paul and had received no details about the espionage charges from either the Russian or U.S. governments.
“He likes to go places and Russia happens to be a place where he knows people and when he’s there, he does go and visit,” David Whelan said.
Russia: US spy suspect can be visited by other countries (AP)
Russia: Too early to consider exchange of US spy suspect (AP)