Day 1792 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 24, 2023 - President Biden "Not Giving Up"

As we close in on Paul's 1800th day as a Russian hostage (December 2nd), we appreciate that the White House continues to work on Paul's case.  President Biden said, in response to a question from the press pool yesterday, that "we ain't giving up." [YouTube, 11/23/2023]  If any of you know who asked that question, please extend to them my family's gratitude.  On a day of giving thanks and of family gatherings, it meant a lot for us to be able to tell Paul that people were still engaged in his freedom.

Unfortunately, another year is passing by. Despite the well-intentioned statements from State Department and National Security staff in December 2022, we have not seen a concession and resolution emerge that would bring Paul home.

At the end of the day, we wait for the Kremlin's authorized channel to engage.  After all, it is not just Paul who suffers.  There are Russians who might be conceded and who might then be home with their families.

We appreciate the time that the US Embassy spends maintaining Paul's connection with the outside world.  They have worked hard to get mail to him from friends and supporters in the US.  Unfortunately, it is getting literally lost in translation, so mail sent last December has still not reached Paul, even though it has reached IK-17.  Ambassador Tracy had a call with our family in mid-November, which gave our parents an opportunity to hear her impressions of how Paul is doing based on her calls and visits to him.

Paul continues to do the best he can.  He says the doctors have now left the labor camp, leaving it without medical staff. Russia's slow decomposition is felt keenly in the prisons.  Paul says the barracks are unheated and water is not consistently available for drinking or washing.  It is hard to imagine the relentless privation.

President Biden's words meant a lot to our family and to Paul, to whom we relayed them.  Hopefully they are not just words.  Five years as a Russian hostage will be a grim milestone.

 

 
 

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  1. Day 1751 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - October 15, 2023 - 2023 Foley Freedom Run
  2. Day 1740 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - October 4, 2023 - Senate Resolution Adopted
  3. Day 1721 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - September 14, 2023 - Ambassador Tracy Visit
  4. Day 1704 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 28, 2023 - The Silver Lining
  5. Day 1693 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 17, 2023 - Secretary Blinken Call to Paul
  6. Day 1663 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 18, 2023 - Mail surge
  7. Day 1658 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 13, 2023 - US Government Perseveres
  8. Day 1642 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 21, 2023 - Flora Has Died
  9. Day 1636 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 15, 2023 - House Resolution Passes
  10. Day 1634 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 13, 2023 - Congress Acts, Retaliation Continues
  11. Day 1611 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 27, 2023 - IK-17 Retaliates For Non-Russia Today Participation
  12. Day 1599 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 15, 2023 - Day 1,600 Approaches
  13. Day 1591 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 7, 2023 - Ambassador's Visit
  14. Day 1574 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 24, 2023 - UN Spotlight on Russian Hostage Taking
  15. Day 1570 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 17, 2023 - Abandoned
  16. Day 1561 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 7, 2023 - Political Advocacy for Wrongfully Detained Americans
  17. Day 1554 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 31, 2023 - New Congressional Resolutions
  18. Day 1553 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 30, 2023 - Potential Hostage, No Path to Freedom
  19. Day 1546 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 23, 2023 - Not Forgotten, But Not Home
  20. Day 1525 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 2, 2023 - Secretary Blinken Speaks Up
  21. Day 1500 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - February 5, 2023 - 1,500 Days a Hostage
  22. Day 1490 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - January 26, 2023 - [Paul Whelan] Ambassador Tracy Reaches Moscow
  23. Day 1461 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - December 28, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Four Years a Hostage
  24. Day 1441 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - December 8, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Hooray for Brittney!
  25. Day 1431 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 28, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] No Calls
  26. Day 1421 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 18, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Another Consular Visit
  27. Day 1413 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 10, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Veteran in a Foreign Land
  28. Day 1387 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - October 15, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Paul, Other IK-17 Prisoners Walk for Foley Freedom Run
  29. Day 1384 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - October 12, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Paul Calls Home
  30. Day 1378 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - October 6, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Russia Continues to Act in Bad Faith
  31. Day 1359 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - September 17, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Meeting with President Biden
  32. Day 1348 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - September 4, 2022 - [Paul Whelan] Toil and Trouble
  33. Day 1316 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 5, 2022 - Watch and Wait
  34. Day 1313 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 2, 2022 - Will Paul Hang in the Wind Again?
  35. Day 1306 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 27, 2022 - US offer to Russian Government
  36. Day 1300 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 19, 2022 - 1,300 Days, But Progress by Biden Administration
  37. Day 1292 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 12, 2022 - Thanks to President Biden, Hope for Governor Richardson
  38. Day 1288 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 8, 2022 - President Biden Calls
  39. Day 1286 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 6, 2022 - Unfocused White House
  40. Day 1273 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 22, 2022 - Visits by the US, UK
  41. Day 1258 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 8, 2022 - Trades Off the Table #NotAllTools
  42. Day 1243 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 24, 2022 - Continue the Fight
  43. Day 1238 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 19, 2022 - What Does It Take?
  44. Day 1217 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 28, 2022 - Third Congressional Resolution Passed
  45. Day 1216 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 27, 2022 - Trevor Reed Released
  46. Day 1181 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 23, 2022 - Paul Saves An Attempted Suicide
  47. Day 1161 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 3, 2022 - Concessions Clarified
  48. Day 1133 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - February 3, 2022 - Prison Investigations
  49. Day 1120 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - January 21, 2022 - Secretary Blinken Comments
  50. Day 1096 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - December 28, 2021 - Three Years a Hostage
  51. Day 1074 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - December 6, 2021 - US Engagement on Wrongful Detainees
  52. Day 1070 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - December 2, 2021 - Additional-Corruption-Investigations
  53. Day 1064 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 26, 2021 - Back in Contact
  54. Day 1057 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 19, 2021 - IK-17 Warden Denisov Arrested
  55. Day 1056 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 18, 2021 - Prison Retaliation
  56. Day 1046 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 8, 2021 - Paul waits
  57. Day 1000 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - Sept 23, 2021 - 1000 Days a Hostage
  58. Day 993 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - Sept 16, 2021 - Three months since Biden/Putin Summit
  59. Day 985 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - Sept 8, 2021 - Mordovian Supreme Court to Hear Transfer Request
  60. Day 966 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 20, 2021 - Lawyers File a Motion to Transfer
  61. Day 955 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 9, 2021 - Out of Solitary
  62. Day 950 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 4, 2021 - Still a Russian Government Hostage
  63. Day 938 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 23, 2021 - Senate Resolution Passes
  64. Day 936 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 21, 2021 - Silent Summer
  65. Day 920 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - July 5, 2021 - Back at IK-17
  66. Day 913 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 29, 2021 - Where's Whelan?
  67. Day 899 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 14, 2021 - Request for President Biden
  68. Day 895 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 10, 2021 - Milestones
  69. Day 891 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - June 7, 2021 - Retaliation and Visitors
  70. Day 880 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 26, 2021 - Consular Support, Presidential Summit
  71. Day 867 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - May 14, 2021 - Consular Services Temporarily Restored
  72. Day 854 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 30, 2021 - Consular Support Cut
  73. Day 840 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - April 16, 2021 - Sanctions and Summits
  74. Day 824 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 31, 2021 - spring visitors to Paul Whelan
  75. Day 800 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - March 7, 2021 - Visit by Canadian Ambassador LeClaire
  76. Day 768 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - February 3, 2021 - State Dept Listens
  77. Day 761 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - January 26, 2021 - A New Hope
  78. Day 716 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - December 15, 2020 - 23 1/2 Months in Russian Detention
  79. Day 686 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 13, 2020 - Human Rights Visit
  80. Day 675 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - November 5, 2020 - Prison Inflicts Sleep Deprivation
  81. Day 650 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - October 8, 2020 - Hostage Diplomacy
  82. Day 636 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - Sept 24, 2020 - Ambassador Sullivan Visit
  83. Day 634 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - Sept 22, 2020 - US Ambassador Visits Camp IK-17
  84. Day 628 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - Sept 16, 2020 - Paul Whelan allegedly moved to Mordovia
  85. Day 612 - Paul Whelan - IK-17 Mordovia Russia - August 31, 2020 - Nowhere Man
  86. Day 559 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - July 3, 2020 - Some News, Some Waiting
  87. Day 545 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - June 25, 2020 - No Appeal
  88. Day 536 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - June 16, 2020 - What's Next
  89. Day 535 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - June 15, 2020 - Sentenced to 16 Years
  90. Day 531 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - June 11, 2020 - Last Update Before Trial Ends
  91. Day 518 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - May 29, 2020 - Emergency Surgery
  92. Day 515 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - May 26, 2020 - Trial Over, Sentencing on June 15
  93. Day 510 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - May 21, 2020 - Setup for a $1400 Debt
  94. Day 507 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - May 14, 2020 - The Trial Continues
  95. Day 500 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - May 7, 2020
  96. Day 488 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - April 29, 2020 - Prosecution Rests, Still No Evidence of Espionage
  97. Day 474 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - April 15, 2020 - Hearings, Virus Threat
  98. Day 461 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - April 2, 2020 - Denied PPE, Court Hearings Postponed
  99. Day 453 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - March 25, 2020 - Visit by Three Ambassadors
  100. Day 447 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - March 19, 2020 - Secret Trial Scheduled for March 23
  101. Day 432 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - March 4, 2020 - Turns 50 in Prison, Awaits Trial
  102. Day 419 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - February 22, 2020 - Trial Approaching
  103. Day 402 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - February 3, 2020 - Ambassador Sullivan's Visit, Appeal Hearing
  104. Day 398 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - January 30, 2020 - First Consular Visit in 2020
  105. Day 362 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Christmas Eve, 2019 -Detention Extended...Again
  106. Day 357 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - December 19, 2019 -Next Detention Hearing, Job Loss
  107. Day 355 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - December 17, 2019 -Collateral Damage
  108. Day 350 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - December 12, 2019 -Russian Corruption, American Defiance
  109. Day 344 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update December 6, 2019 - Prison Turkey, MFA Loses Facts
  110. Day 328 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update November 21, 2019 - Detention Continues
  111. Day 326 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update November 18, 2019 - No Medical, Misinformation
  112. Day 323 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update November 15, 2019 - Upcoming appeal hearing
  113. Day 300 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update October 24, 2019 - Detention until December 29
  114. Day 298 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update October 22, 2019 - House Resolution H.Res.552 passes
  115. Day 294 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update October 18, 2019 - David Urban lobbies for Paul
  116. Day 278 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update October 2 - Ambassador Huntsman's last visit
  117. Day 271 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update September 24 - detention appeal denied...again
  118. Day 261 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update September 17 - Paul tells media about set-up by FSB
  119. Day 259 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update September 13 - House/Senate resolutions introduced
  120. Day 238 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update August 28 - prison officials retaliating
  121. Day 217 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update August 1 - Foreign Minister Lavrov's wish list
  122. Day 200 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update July 1 - Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov's comments
  123. Day 182 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update June 28 - G20 summit
  124. Day 173 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update June 19 - Ambassador Bolton meeting
  125. Day 168 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update June 14 - FSB investigator angry at Paul
  126. Day 160 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update June 6 - FSB breaking Russian laws
  127. Day 151 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update May 28, 2019 - Detention extended another 3 months
  128. Day 145 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update May 22, 2019 - citizen unjustly held abroad
  129. Day 129 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update May 6, 2019 - attempts to coerce false confession
  130. Day 101 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update April 8, 2019 - no SPEHA for Paul
  131. Day 80 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update March 18, 2019 - call with DAS King
  132. Day 78 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update March 16, 2019 - Congress tweets
  133. Day 62 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Feb 28, 2019 - FSB isolates Paul
  134. Day 56 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Feb 22, 2019 - Extension of detention by 3 months
  135. Day 53 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Feb 19, 2019 - lawyer Zherebenkov meeting
  136. Day 40 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Feb 6, 2019 - still no Power of Attorney
  137. Day 29 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 25, 2019 - 5 consular visits
  138. Day 26 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 22, 2019 - Bail Hearing
  139. Day 25 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 21, 2019 - gofundme campaign started
  140. Day 21 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 17, 2019 - Pompeo speaks to Freeland
  141. Day 20 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 16, 2019 - Irish Embassy visits Paul
  142. Day 19 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 15, 2019 - still no Privacy Act Waiver
  143. Day 18 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 14, 2019 - lack of information from MFA
  144. Day 15 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 11, 2019 - Ambassador Huntsman calls family
  145. Day 12 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 8, 2019 - consular meeting requests
  146. Day 11 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 7, 2019 - family talks to embassies
  147. Day 08 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 4, 2019 - need Congress and State Dept help
  148. Day 05 - Paul Whelan - Lefortovo Prison Moscow - Update Jan 1, 2019 - our brother arrested by FSB