Concern grows about Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia.

The Biden administration is “deeply involved” about Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia who has been transferred to a jail hospital, a White Home spokesman stated on Wednesday.

Mr. Whelan’s brother, David, stated in emails to supporters this week that his brother was moved on Nov. 17 to a hospital within the jail the place he’s being held.

His household, which has not heard from him in per week, grew significantly alarmed when Mr. Whelan missed a scheduled name dwelling on Thanksgiving Day and additional nonetheless when he did not name dwelling on Wednesday, his father’s eighty fifth birthday.

“Paul was not complaining of any well being circumstances that required hospitalization, so has there been an emergency?” David Whelan wrote. He added that his brother “appeared wholesome and nicely” to U.S. embassy workers who visited him earlier this month.

John Kirby, a Nationwide Safety Council spokesman, advised reporters in a phone briefing on Wednesday that the U.S. authorities has been attempting unsuccessfully to get data on Mr. Whelan’s situation and his whereabouts.

“As we communicate this morning, regrettably, we would not have an replace particularly about the place he’s or what situation he’s in,” Mr. Kirby stated. He added: “We’re deeply involved in regards to the ignorance and the shortage of contact from Paul, and we’re engaged on this actually as exhausting as we will by diplomatic channels.”

Talking on MSNBC throughout a go to to Bucharest, Romania, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken stated that U.S. officers had visited Mr. Whelan on Nov. 16 and spoke to him by telephone at “roughly” the identical time however haven’t had contact with him since. “We’re working day-after-day to guarantee that we’ve got contact with him, that we perceive what the precise scenario is,” Mr. Blinken stated.

David Whelan stated in an electronic mail on Wednesday: “It may very well be nothing however, on this case, you at all times have to contemplate worst case situations.”

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who later labored as a company safety govt, was arrested at a Moscow lodge in December 2018 and convicted in June 2020 on espionage fees that the U.S. authorities says had been manufactured.

U.S. officers have linked Mr. Whelan’s destiny to that of the imprisoned skilled basketball participant Brittney Griner and have been attempting for months to barter their joint launch. The USA has provided to launch from federal jail a infamous Russian arms vendor, Viktor Bout, in trade for the 2 People. Russia has but to just accept the provide.

In a Nov. 9 assertion, the White Home stated that it “has continued to observe up on that provide and suggest various potential methods ahead with the Russians by all obtainable channels” however didn’t provide additional particulars.

Mr. Whelan is being held at a high-security jail referred to as IK-17, about an eight hour drive from Moscow.