Russian prosecutors on Monday called for an 18-year sentence against a former US Marine charged with spying, after a closed-door trial denounced by
Washington and his family.
Paul Whelan, 50, was detained in
Moscow in December 2018 for allegedly receiving state secrets but insists he was framed when he took a USB drive from an acquaintance thinking it contained holiday photos.
Whelan's lawyer told reporters after the session that prosecutors had requested 18 years for his client in a penal colony, just short of the maximum 20-year sentence he was facing.