2024-06-13 19:17:00
Russian authorities accuse American journalist Evan Gershkovich of amassing data for the American secret service CIA in regards to the actions of the Russian firm Uralvagonzavod, which manufactures and repairs army tools. This was reported by press companies, in response to which the Russian prosecutor’s workplace introduced that it had despatched the case to the court docket within the metropolis of Yekaterinburg, the place the journalist was detained final 12 months.
A reporter for The Wall Avenue Journal is in a Russian detention middle, and each he and his employer deny espionage expenses. Washington considers his detention unjustified and calls for his launch.
The Russian Prosecutor Common’s Workplace thus revealed for the primary time the small print of the fees towards the imprisoned reporter, the AP company wrote, in response to which, nonetheless, the Russian authorities didn’t current proof to assist the matter. “In March 2023, on the directions of the CIA, Gershkovich collected secret details about the actions of the Uralvagonzavod protection enterprise within the Sverdlovsk area,” stated Deputy Prosecutor Common Andrey Ivanov, in response to the Russian state information company TASS.
In keeping with him, the prosecutor’s workplace confirmed the accusation of espionage and despatched the case to the court docket in Yekaterinburg within the Urals. It was there final March that the now 32-year-old reporter was arrested by the Russian FSB secret service. She claimed she caught him making an attempt to acquire categorised data she stated he was gathering in regards to the military-industrial complicated in Russia. In keeping with the TASS company, he faces 20 years in jail.
The Wall Avenue Journal beforehand reported that Gershkovich was simply doing his job in Russia and referred to as the espionage allegations trumped up. The journalist has been in custody for the whole time since his arrest, which the Russian authorities frequently prolong.
Gershkovich is the primary American reporter detained in Russia on alleged espionage expenses since 1986, when the then-Soviet KGB secret service arrested American journalist Nicholas Daniloff. The Soviets quickly launched him in change for a member of the Soviet Union’s mission to the United Nations, who was additionally arrested by the American FBI in reference to espionage.
In keeping with some diplomats, the Russians seemingly detained Gershkovich as a part of their broader effort to construct a “stockpile” of arrested Americans to change for Russian residents detained within the West. Russia and the US have already agreed on important prisoner exchanges up to now.