Evan Gershkovich: Reporter appears in court in Moscow to appeal his extended detention
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appears in Moscow court to appeal his extended detention on espionage charges as Russia’s deputy foreign secretary considers US request to visit him
- Evan Gershkovich was arrested in late March while on a reporting trip to Russia
- A Moscow court last month agreed to detain him until August 30
A Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia on espionage charges has appeared in court to appeal his extended detention.
US citizen Evan Gershkovich was arrested in late March while on a reporting trip.
A Moscow court last month agreed to keep the 31-year-old in custody until August 30. Defense lawyers challenged the decision and the Moscow court will hear the appeal on Thursday.
Gershkovich and his employer have denied that he spied in Russia. The US government has stated that he was wrongly detained and demanded his immediate release.
His arrest in the city of Yekaterinburg shocked journalists in Russia, where authorities have not detailed what, if any, evidence they have gathered to support the espionage allegations.
Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia on espionage charges, will appear in court today to appeal his extended detention
Gershkovich’s arrest in the city of Yekaterinburg shocked journalists in Russia, where authorities have not detailed what, if any, evidence they have gathered to support the espionage allegations.
Gershkovich is being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, which is notorious for its harsh conditions. U.S. embassy officials were allowed to visit him once, but Russian authorities rejected two other requests to see him.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday that the ministry is considering another visit request from the embassy.
The US ambassador has only been able to visit the reporter once since he was arrested in March and accused by the FSB security service of collecting military secrets in the city of Yekaterinburg. He denies the allegations.
“These allegations are complete nonsense. They are vehemently denied by the Wall Street Journal, by the US government, by his family. The Russians have provided absolutely no evidence,” WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker told the BBC.
The Kremlin has said Gershkovich was caught red-handed, but has not provided details to support the claim.
If convicted, the journalist faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
At Thursday’s hearing, Tucker said her expectations were low.
“To be honest, we don’t expect anything from this, but it’s really, really important to go through the process,” she said.
Photos from the courtroom on Thursday showed Gershkovich in a glass cage, his arms crossed. He has a wry smile, as if he doesn’t believe the situation.
Gershkovich is being held at a time when Washington-Moscow relations are at their lowest since the Cold War over the Russian invasion of Ukraine last February.
Gershkovich and his employer have denied that he spied in Russia. The US government has stated that he was wrongly detained and demanded his immediate release
The United States called him “wrongfully detained,” a term used by the State Department to deem the allegations false and the arrest politically motivated.
Tucker said the “truly horrifying” thing about Gershkovich’s case was that it had become part of the geopolitical confrontation between the two countries.
“Whatever it takes to get Evan out, it’s going to be a very complicated puzzle. To be honest, the US government doesn’t have that much influence anymore, essentially they are helping Russia’s enemy to wage a war against it.
“So things are hard,” she said.