MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - The defense lawyers for U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, who is charged with espionage, are hoping to finish reading the case materials in February 2020, after which the trial will start.
"Bearing in mind the amount of the case materials, we hope to finish reading the materials in February. [...] I think the trial will start in March-April," lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov told reporters on Thursday.
Whelan is carefully reading the case materials, the lawyer said. "I told him, Paul, maybe we will finish in December, he said no we will read everything," Zherebenkov said.
According to earlier reports, the Moscow Lefortovsky District court on Thursday prolonged Whelan's arrest until December 29.
Whelan, who is a citizen of the United States, Ireland, Canada, and the UK, earlier served in the U.S. marine infantry. He was detained in Moscow on December 28, 2018. He is charged with espionage, a crime punishable by ten to 20 years in prison. He denies his guilt.