Russian court sentences US ex-marine to 16 years in prison in spy case
Paul Whelan, former US marine accused of espionage and arrested in Russia in December 2018, stands inside a defendants' cage in Moscow
A Russian court on Monday sentenced ex-US marine Paul Whelan to 16 years in prison in an espionage case.
The trial was held behind closed doors since Whelan was accused of gathering state secrets, however, he called it a "sham trial" and asked for US President Donald Trump's intervention.
Whelan, 50, was arrested in December 2018 when he was on a visit to Russia for a wedding. He took a USB drive from an acquaintancewhich he said he thought contained holiday photographs. The US ambassador to Russia had said earlier that was an unfair trial with USsecretary of state Mike Pompeo demanding his release last month.
Whelan's health had deteriorated during the trialas US secretary of state demanded his release, saying: "It is unacceptable that Paul Whelan has been denied necessary medical treatment until his condition became dire."
However, Russian foreign ministry said he was receiving "all necessary medical assistance."
Russia's prosecutor during the trial, however, stressed that the ex-marine had information on Russia's state secret. Whelan was earlier "dishonorably discharged" as a marine.
The verdict comes even as relations between Russia and the US continue to be on the edge with the Trump administration having put sanctions on the country.