A Moscow court has ruled that Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, will remain in jail on espionage charges until the end of November, according to Russian state news agency Tass.
Gershkovich has been in custody since March, when he was detained in Yekaterinburg, almost 2,000km (1200 miles) east of Moscow, while on a reporting assignment. This latest ruling means that he could spend at least eight months in prison.
The 31-year-old U.S. citizen arrived at the Moscow court in a white prison van, wearing handcuffs, jeans, sneakers, and a shirt. He appeared to hear the result of the prosecution’s motion to extend his arrest beyond August 30.
The proceedings were held behind closed doors, with journalists not allowed to witness the hearing due to the classified nature of the criminal case.
According to Russia’s Federal Security Service, Gershkovich “acted on the instructions of the American side” and gathered information about the activities of a Russian military-industrial complex enterprise that constituted a state secret.
Both Gershkovich and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government has declared his detention to be wrongful. The details of the espionage charges and the evidence supporting them have not been revealed by Russian authorities.
In response to the extended detention, the Wall Street Journal stated, “We are deeply disappointed he continues to be arbitrarily and wrongfully detained for doing his job as a journalist. The baseless accusations against him are categorically false, and we continue to push for his immediate release. Journalism is not a crime.”
Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited Gershkovich and reported that he appeared to be in good health despite the challenging conditions at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, known for its harsh environment.
Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986. Analysts believe that Moscow may be using detained Americans as bargaining chips amid heightened tensions with the U.S. over the military operation in Ukraine. In the past, U.S. citizens have been exchanged for Russians imprisoned in the United States.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that a swap for Gershkovich would only be considered after a verdict is reached in his trial. Espionage trials in Russia can last for more than a year.
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