Russian court prolongs detention of US journalist
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will stay behind bars for another three months, the Lefortovo court in Moscow has decided. The US citizen, who was arrested in Russia in late March, is facing espionage charges.
“By a court ruling in relation to Gershkovich, the detention period was extended by three months... until November 30, 2023,” the court’s press service said on Thursday.
The hearing took place behind closed doors due to the materials of the criminal case against the American journalist being classified.
Gershkovich was detained near a military production site in the Russian city of Ekaterinburg in late March. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the 31-year-old was soliciting “information amounting to a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex.” If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
In April, the court turned down an attempt by Gershkovich’s attorney to have him released on bail of 50 million rubles ($622,500), which the WSJ’s parent company was willing to pay.
The same month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially designated Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained” by Russia. Washington is reportedly exploring options to have the reporter freed in a prisoner swap.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova insisted that Gershkovich’s actions in Ekaterinburg “had nothing to do with journalism.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the WSJ reporter as being “caught red-handed” in an act of espionage.
