Russia Rejects ‘Substantial’ Proposal to Release Two Jailed Americans, US Claims. : Analysis

The United States government has announced that Russia has rejected a “substantial” proposal to secure the release of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who are currently detained in Russia on charges of spying. The US State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, stated on Tuesday that they have made a number of proposals, including a significant one in recent weeks, but Russia rejected them without providing further details. Miller highlighted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Joe Biden will continue working to find a solution to free the pair, as they are considered “wrongfully detained” by the State Department. This designation indicates that the US sees the charges against Gershkovich and Whelan as baseless and politically motivated, emphasizing that they should be released immediately. Despite the strained relationship between the US and Russia following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US managed a prisoner swap a year ago. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned that discussions regarding prisoner swaps with the US must occur in “complete silence.” Gershkovich, who was arrested in March during a reporting trip, faces charges of spying, which he and the Wall Street Journal deny. He has been held in custody pending trial, and a Moscow court extended his detention until January. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison. In October, Gershkovich’s sister urged the Biden administration to prioritize bringing him back to the US and voiced concerns about the Middle East crisis diverting attention from hostage diplomacy in other countries. Paul Whelan, who was working in security for a US vehicle parts company, was arrested in Moscow in 2018 and convicted of espionage in 2020. He is currently serving a 16-year sentence. Whelan and the US government deny the espionage allegations and claim that the evidence was falsified. Whelan’s family reported last week that he had been physically assaulted in prison. He was punched in the face and had to defend himself in a sewing workshop in a high-security penal colony in Russia’s Mordovia region. The Mordovia regional prison service confirmed the incident and stated that guards intervened. Whelan and the other individual involved were taken to the medical bay, with Whelan sustaining an abrasion beneath his eye.

Source: Aljazeera news: US says Russia rejected ‘substantial’ proposal to free two jailed Americans