Whelan's attorneys to ask authorities to permit surgery
MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - The legal counsel of U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, who is charged with espionage in Russia, will soon submit a motion asking to allow him to undergo surgery, Whelan's attorney Vladimir Zherebenkov said on Friday.
"We have decided to insist on the operation," Zherebenkov said.
The defense team has written "a motion that will be brought to the Lefortovo [detention facility] shortly," he said.
Whelan has signed an appropriate document to express his consent to surgery in Russia, Zherebenkov said.
The attorney said earlier that doctors from the Russian Health Ministry had come to see Whelan in prison. They examined him and concluded that he did not need surgery at that time, he said.
Whelan asked the consular service to organize transfer of his medical records to Russia at the doctors' request.
Whelan has repeatedly complained that he had an aggravation of his left shoulder injury, saying that he was suffering pain each time he tried to lift his left arm. In addition, he said his inguinal hernia had worsened.