In Moscow, a court has denied an appeal made by Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich against the extension of his pre-trial detention. Russian state news agencies reported that Gershkovich will remain in the notorious Lefortovo prison until August 30.
Gershkovich, who strongly denies the espionage charges brought against him, could potentially face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The American journalist’s employer also denies the charges against him.
Gershkovich’s parents, Mikhail Gershkovich and Ella Milman, were present in the Moscow courtroom to support their son. They had emigrated from the then-Soviet Union to the United States in the late 1970s.
According to Russian state media, U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy was not allowed inside the courtroom. The proceedings were held behind closed doors, but journalists were permitted to take a few pictures of Gershkovich before the hearing began. He was seen wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt inside a glass defendant’s box.
Gershkovich, who is 31 years old, was arrested in March and accused by Russia’s federal security service (FSB) of collecting state secrets about the activity of a Russian military industrial complex entity in the city of Yekaterinburg. He is alleged to have acted on instructions from the American side.
This arrest marks the first detention of an American reporter in Russia on spying allegations since the Cold War. The tension between Moscow and Washington has increased significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The U.S. government has stated that Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, who is also wrongfully detained in Russia on espionage charges, should be released. Both the U.S. and Gershkovich’s employer deny the allegations against them.
Following the hearing in Moscow, The Wall Street Journal issued a statement expressing their outrage that Gershkovich’s detention continues. They demand his immediate release and assert that he has been wrongfully detained for more than 12 weeks while fulfilling his role as a journalist.
In April, a court denied a previous request for Gershkovich to be transferred to house arrest or granted bail. Instead, he was kept in Lefortovo prison, which has a history of holding dissidents in isolated conditions.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has stated that Russia is considering a request from the U.S. for consular access to Gershkovich. However, the date of his trial has not yet been set, and pre-trial proceedings could prolong his detention for months or even years.
Legal experts emphasize that under Russian law, investigators have broad powers to request extensions and delay trials. Furthermore, most espionage cases in Russia result in a guilty verdict. Any possibility of a prisoner swap with the U.S. can only occur after a court delivers a verdict.
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