LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Paul Whelan, an American who is wrongfully detained in Russia, has recently received 305 letters and cards that were postmarked December 2022. According to his twin brother, David, Paul has been a Russian hostage for 1,665 days and with not much change to his day-to-day routine, getting letters has been a “huge boost” to Paul’s morale, one that David hopes will help tide Paul through the long wait ahead to be released.

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Paul Whelan, a 53-year-old American veteran and Novi native, was arrested in Russia on December 28, 2018 after being accused of spying while he worked as director of global security and investigations for BorgWarner, an automotive parts manufacturer based in Michigan. He was given a prison sentence of 16 years at a labor camp in the remote province of Mordovia and is currently serving his fifth year in detention. The sentence was handed down three years ago on June 15, 2020.

Paul was able to let his parents know that he received the cards and letters, which were given to him in batches, of 140, 80, and 85, all in the last 2 weeks.

His brother, David, said that the mail surge is largely due to Brittney Griner encouraging people to write to Paul about two weeks after her own release at the end of last year. She had posted her thanks on Instagram to people who showed their support by writing her and said their efforts really mattered. In the Instagram post she also said, “There remain too many families with loved ones wrongfully detained.” She added that the families stood alongside those who were working to get her released and “it’s our turn to support them.”

She asked for her supporters to write Paul Whelan and continue to advocate for other Americans to be rescued and returned to their families.

David says that Griner has commented frequently about the importance of mail during her wrongful detention – and the call to write to Paul was amplified by other celebrities like political commentator Ana Navarro-Cárdenas and Fox News’ talk show host Sean Hannity.

David says about the writing campaign, “We cannot adequately express the deep gratitude we have for Ms. Griner and the others using their platforms to encourage this direct support of Paul. But also we’re thankful for the hundreds of Americans, most of whom couldn’t possibly know Paul, but who wrote to support him anyway. And to the State Department staff at the US Embassy who ensure it gets to Mordovia.”

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David continues, “A letter means you are not forgotten. It means you can be reminded of what

life outside of incarceration is like as the world continues to change. It is something you can re-read.  It is something you can write an answer to, giving you mental work and something to fill the time and something to hope for, a response.”

It’s unclear what caused the delay for Paul to receive the letters. David says, “It took some time for the mail to get to Mordovia, although I think it was there by the US Embassy visit in March, if not January. Then it is censored by the prison and translated for the FSB (apparently by a local school teacher as the prison lacks legally-required translators). Then it can be held for no reason other than bloody mindedness by the prison administration until they want to give it to Paul. Seven months is a long time but not a surprising amount for a one-way communication.”

David says if anyone wants to drop Paul a line, the information to write him (letters and cards only, no packages) is as follows:

American Citizen Services/PNW

Consular Section

5430 Moscow Place

Department of State

Washington, DC 20521-5430

David says, “Keeping a stream of mail to Paul has been hard. There is no email facility at his camp like there is at other Russian labor colonies, and the illegal invasion of Ukraine has complicated sending regular mail from the US to Mordovia directly.”

David adds, “Compassion fatigue is a real thing after 4.5 years. We use his GoFundMe funds to ensure he has money to buy paper and envelopes and stamps to reply. This has been a huge boost and hopefully will help tide him through the long wait ahead to be released. I’m imagining in my head the looks of surprise on 305 people who get a letter *back* from Paul from Mordovia later this year or early next!”