Wed Sep 18 02:55:05 UTC 2024: ## Freed American Paul Whelan Thanks Lawmakers for Bringing Him Home from Russian Prison

Washington, D.C. – Paul Whelan, an American who was wrongfully detained in Russia for five and a half years, expressed his gratitude to lawmakers who worked to secure his release. Speaking at an event at the U.S. Capitol, Whelan praised the bipartisan efforts that led to his freedom.

“The Michigan delegation brought me home here,” Whelan said, referencing his home state. “You know, it was five years, seven months, and five days. I counted each one of them.” He described the final five days of his imprisonment in solitary confinement. “I couldn’t leave my cell,” he said, “but I made it home.”

Whelan pledged to support other wrongfully detained Americans. “We’re coming for you,” he said. “The United States is not going to let people like me, Marc [Fogel], Trevor [Reed], Brittney [Griner], languish in foreign prisons. It might take time, but we’re coming for them and everybody else.”

Rep. Haley Stevens, who represents Whelan’s district in Congress, highlighted the significance of Whelan’s case. “His case was the first one of a series of high-profile detentions in Russia,” she said, referencing Brittney Griner and Evan Gershkovich. “It certainly changed the relationship that the United States had with Russia, even before the war in Ukraine began.” Stevens emphasized the U.S. commitment to fighting for its citizens. “Our message to Russia is that when it comes to your shenanigans and your illegal and unjust and unlawful behavior, we, as the United States of America, are united. We will fight for our people, we will bring them home, and we will win.”

Whelan returned to the United States on August 2nd, after being released in a multi-country prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia. The exchange, the largest since the Cold War, included the release of eight Russian prisoners abroad.

Whelan’s case, along with other high-profile detentions, has highlighted the strained relationship between the United States and Russia. His return home marks a crucial step towards improving the situation for Americans wrongfully detained in foreign countries.

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