The trial of a U.S. national being held in Russia on espionage charges will begin next week.
Paul Whelan, 50, has been detained for more than a year and faces up to 20 years in prison if he’s convicted.
Whelan’s lawyer Olga Karlova told the Detroit Free Press the former Marine would appear before a panel of three judges in Moscow City Court on Monday.
But his brother, David, said the trial might be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Russian Supreme Court has suspended hearing all but the most urgent cases, so Paul’s trial may not actually occur,” David Whelan said.
Paul Whelan, who also holds British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship, traveled to Russia in December 2018 to attend the wedding of a friend and has insisted he is not a spy.
Russia’s Federal Security Service alleged it caught Whelan on a spy mission when it found a flash drive in his hotel room that contained classified information. Whelan’s legal team said the flash drive was planted by someone “connected to the military,” whom Whelan considered a friend.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said there was no evidence to prove the allegations.
“Investigators have shown no evidence — zero. Russian authorities show no credible justification for isolating Paul and refuse to allow Paul to get proper medical attention. This is shameful treatment,” Sullivan said in February.
David Whelan said his family remained concerned about his brother’s health.
“He cracked a molar and has had that temporarily fixed by a prison dentist. But he still has been unable to speak with a doctor about his need for surgery” to repair an inguinal hernia, he said.
