Moolenaar on the Release of Michigan Resident Paul Whelan

According to media reports, Michigan resident Paul Whelan will be released from a Russian prison as part of a multinational prisoner swap.

"Paul Whelan is a former Marine who has been unjustly imprisoned by Russia for more than five years. In Michigan, we prayed for his release and never forgot him as he was held by Putin's corrupt government on bogus charges. I am thankful he will soon be reunited with his family," said Congressman John Moolenaar.

Whelan has been unjustly imprisoned in Russia since December 2018, when he was arrested and charged with espionage. Since his arrest, he was denied basic human rights and has been held with no credible evidence supporting the charges against him. On June 15, 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Last year, Moolenaar called for the release of Whelan.