The FSB released a brief statement saying that Whelan had been taken into custody after essentially being caught red-handed in the process of spying,…
The FSB released a brief statement saying that Whelan had been taken into custody after essentially being caught red-handed in the process of spying, saying that the suspect was detained “during an act of espionage” under article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Representatives say that the U. S. has requested access to Whelan under the Vienna Convention.
“We are aware of the detention of a U. S. citizen by Russian authorities,” a representative for the State Department said.
“Russia’s obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it.”
Neither the State Department nor the FSB provided any additional details, citing privacy concerns.
