Who are Paul Whelan’s siblings Elizabeth and David?

FORMER US Marine Paul Whelan was greeted with teary eyes by family after being released from captivity in Russia.

Elizabeth and David Whelan have relentlessly fought for their brother’s release – but who are they?

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AP

Paul Whelan was arrested at a hotel in Moscow in December 2018 and charged with spying on Russia for the US.

He was sentenced to 16 years of hard labor in a prison camp in the Republic of Mordovia.

Paul and his family maintain his innocence.

Who is Paul Whelan’s sister Elizabeth?

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Elizabeth is the sister of the now-freed Russian hostage.

She has consistently pressured the US government to act on the case with her brother.

Elizabeth is a portrait artist who lives in Massachusetts.

But when her brother was imprisoned, she became the family’s communicator to the White House, State Department and Capitol Hill.

The Detroit News reported that the artist made over 25 trips to Washington D.C. to get her brother out of captivity.

Who is Paul Whelan’s brother David?

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David is Paul Whelan’s twin brother.

He too has spent years advocating for his brother’s release both on and off camera.

David is a law librarian and lives in San Diego.

Like his sister, he also worked as an advocate to get Paul out of prison.

David conducted news media interviews, drafted statements and kept up with the Russian press all in a bid to release Paul.

What have they said about Paul Whelan’s detainment?

The two put great pressure on the US government to act on her brothers imprisonment.

Elizabeth hit the headlines in 2022 after expressing her anger over the White House not reaching out to her family, despite phoning another prisoners wife who was also held in Russia.

The White House released a readout of a phone call Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held with Cherelle Griner.

Cherelle is the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner – the American basketball star who was imprisoned in Russia for drug-related charges.

Elizabeth questioned the White House as to why Paul’s case was not receiving the same level of attention.

She told CNN that year: “I want Brittney home as much as anybody else does. But why is Paul not getting the same type of level of attention?

“Why are the Whelans not getting a call? Why is Paul not going to have a letter written by the President?

“I’m really angry.”

In an emotional statement about Paul’s release, his brother David said: “This is now Paul’s story to tell and I’m sure he will, in time, communicate how he wants to tell it.

“It is vital that he be given agency over his life again, something the Kremlin took away for so many years. I do not represent him.”

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