(WXYZ) — For 1,571 days, Paul Whelan of Novi has been detained in Russia. He was arrested in 2018 and charged with espionage in 2020.
His family says his spirits were at first high as he was optimistic that the U.S. declared him wrongfully detained and would set him free.
But that confidence is dwindling as Paul still waits for freedom behind bars.
“Unfortunately he may have to survive 16 years the entirety of his sentence, but we hope that’s not the case,” David Whelan said.
David Whelan told ABC News that his brother feels abandoned by both the White House and Michigan leaders.
In a letter, David said that his sister Elizabeth, who speaks with the state department regularly, will take a step back because they are wasting her time.
“She is finding that they aren’t fruitful outcomes with the discussions they have been having. We don’t get the feeling creative solutions are being brought to bear,” Whelan said.
The letter also notes how the family feels as if the government puts priorities on prisoners with notoriety. WNBA star Brittney Griner was famously released from Russian detention late last year after serving a fraction of Whelan's sentence.
The Biden administration responded by saying, “Since the earliest days of this administration, we have sought to bring Paul Whelan home. As we have said before, the United States has put forward a serious proposal to Russia – Russia should take it. Bringing Paul home is important to the president," the letter read.
David Whelan says all they have left is hope.
“I think that’s why we see some wrongful detainees attempt suicide when they are in detention. Fortunately, Paul has not gotten to that point and we will try to keep him physically and mentally healthy as we can," Whelan said.
