(CNN) A lawyer for Paul Whelan , an American citizen charged in Russia with espionage, said Thursday he filed an appeal in court against Whelan's detention because he believes the arrest was unfounded. The Russian government announced the arrest Monday; no further details about the specific allegations against Whelan have been released. Whelan's lawyer in Russia, Vladimir Zherebenkov, said Whelan has been charged and detained in Moscow's Lefortovo prison since the day of his arrest. "I filed a complaint with the Lefortovo court, because I believe that the arrest is excessive and unfounded," Zherebenkov said on Thursday. It also appears that Whelan had been using a Russian social media platform for the past 13 years.

Source: CNN January 03, 2019 16:07 UTC