MOSCOW (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has filed an appeal on espionage charges, seeking his release from jail. However, the Moscow City Court has not yet made a ruling, leading to conflicting reports from Russian media regarding the outcome of the closed session.
In a statement, the court announced that Gershkovich’s case has been sent back to a lower court due to procedural violations. Meanwhile, the state news agency Tass reported that the court has rejected Gershkovich’s appeal, meaning he will remain in jail until November 30.
Prior to the closure of the session, Gershkovich appeared in the courtroom’s glass defendants’ cage, wearing a yellow sweater and blue jeans. He was detained in March while reporting in the city of Yekaterinburg, located about 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) east of Moscow. Read more.
Dmitry Serebryakov via Associated Press
The court proceedings are closed due to classification of the criminal case. Gershkovich last appeared in court in August, where a judge ruled that he must remain in jail until the end of November. He is now appealing that decision.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy recently visited Gershkovich, following an appeal made by his parents at U.N. headquarters, urging world leaders to urge Russia to free him. Tracy later stated that Gershkovich remains informed about the news, including his parents’ appeal.
The Russian Federal Security Service accused Gershkovich of collecting classified information about the activities of a Russian military-industrial complex enterprise on the instructions of the U.S. government.
Both Gershkovich and the Wall Street Journal deny these allegations, with the U.S. government declaring his detention to be wrongful. Russian authorities have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges.
Gershkovich is currently being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, known for its harsh conditions.
Gershkovich is the first American journalist to face espionage charges in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.
Experts suggest that Moscow may be using detained Americans as bargaining tools amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Russia following Russia’s actions in Ukraine. In recent years, at least two American citizens in Russia, including WNBA star Brittney Griner, have been exchanged for Russians imprisoned in the U.S.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that they will only consider a swap for Gershkovich after a verdict has been reached in his trial. Espionage trials in Russia can often extend for more than a year.
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