A Russian court ruled yesterday that State College resident and Russian prisoner Edmond Pope will not be released to a hospital despite his current medical condition, according to reports from The Associated Press.
Pope, incarcerated in the Lefortovo prison in Moscow on charges of espionage, is believed by his lawyer to be experiencing a relapse of bone cancer.
"It was a plea for bail based on his medical condition," said Jen Bennett, press secretary for Rep. John E. Peterson, who has worked throughout the last four months to bring Pope home.
Pope, 54, is a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer accused of reportedly purchasing secret design information about a high-tech torpedo while visiting Russia on a business trip.
He has been incarcerated in the Lefortovo prison since April. During this time, his attorney, Pavel Astakhov, the U.S. Embassy and his family have expressed concern about his deteriorating health conditions. While Pope underwent an operation for bone cancer in 1989, he is reportedly also diagnosed with Graves' disease, a thyroid condition.
The appeal would have allowed Pope to leave the Moscow prison in order to diagnose his illness and, if necessary, receive specialized medical help. After the hearing, the Russian court ruled Pope is to remain incarcerated in the prison until his trial in October.
However, the court will ask a Russian cancer specialist to examine Pope in jail and has reportedly granted his request to call his parents in the United States.
The Associated Press reported Pope, who is experiencing headaches and dizziness in his cell nearly every day, also believes his cancer has relapsed.
Despite yesterday's setback, Bennett said she, Peterson and Edmond Pope's wife, Cheri, have not changed their plans to leave tomorrow for Moscow. Although they have not yet received the approval from Russian prison authorities allowing an English-speaking doctor from the U.S. Embassy to examine Pope, they remain hopeful.
"It is one of the issues we plan to address on Saturday," Bennett said.
Bennett added Peterson's office has no knowledge of a confirmed relapse of Pope's original bone cancer.
