Moscow Court Rejects Wall Street Journal Reporter’s Appeal Against Pre-Trial Detention
A Moscow court has rejected an appeal by Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich against his pre-trial detention on espionage charges, according to Russian state media. This decision marks the latest legal setback for Gershkovich, as his pre-trial detention has been extended twice since his arrest in March.
Gershkovich was arrested while on a reporting trip, with Russia’s main security service, the FSB, accusing him of trying to obtain state secrets – a charge that Gershkovich and his employer strongly deny. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
The court’s decision means that Gershkovich will remain in jail until at least November 30, as reported by Russia’s Tass news agency. Gershkovich was seen in a glass enclosure wearing jeans and a light shirt during the hearing, with US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy present in the courtroom.
Outside the courthouse, Tracy expressed the US government’s unwavering support for Gershkovich, stating that “The charges against Evan are baseless. The Russian government locked Evan up for simply doing his job. Journalism is not a crime.” Tracy also revealed that she had visited Gershkovich at Russia’s infamous Lefortovo prison last week and described him as remaining remarkably strong in the face of adversity.
The continued imprisonment of Gershkovich has strained the already tense relations between Washington and Moscow, particularly in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. The White House has accused the Kremlin of using Gershkovich as a geopolitical hostage, representing the first American reporter to be jailed in Russia on allegations of spying since the Cold War.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated in July, on Gershkovich’s 100th day behind bars, that “The world knows that the charges against Evan are baseless – he was arrested in Russia during the course of simply doing his job as a journalist, and he is being held by Russia for leverage because he is an American.” The US State Department declared in April that Gershkovich had been wrongfully detained, allowing the Biden administration to pursue avenues such as prisoner exchanges to secure his release.
While talks of a potential swap between the US and Russia have taken place, they have so far failed to secure Gershkovich’s release. President Joe Biden has expressed his seriousness in working to free Americans who are being illegally held in Russia or elsewhere, stating that the process is underway.