It’s been a year since American journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia. Now a Russian court has once again extended his detention at least until the end of June.
A reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Gershkovich was arrested by Russian authorities on March 29, 2023, in the city of Yekaterinburg where he was on a reporting trip. Although accredited by Russia’s Foreign Ministry to work as a journalist, Gershkovich was charged with espionage, a charge he, his employer, and the United States government vigorously deny. He has been behind bars ever since, housed in the notorious Lefortovo prison.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller noted that at Gershkovich’s hearing on March 26, Russian authorities did not provide evidence of a crime.
“They just extended his detention for another three months. And despite their claims, they have provided no justification for holding him at all, and we believe there’s a simple reason for doing that, and it’s because he has done nothing wrong. It’s because journalism is not a crime,” he said.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy attended Gershkovich’s court hearing in Moscow. In a statement, she reiterated that the “accusations against Evan are categorically untrue. They are not a different interpretation of circumstances, they are fiction.”
Ambassador Tracy said, “Evan’s case is not about evidence, due process, or rule of law. It is about using American citizens as pawns to achieve political ends, as the Kremlin is doing in the case of Paul Whelan.”
Paul Whelan is an American citizen, former U.S. marine, and businessman, who was arrested in 2018 in Russia and in 2020 was found guilty of espionage after a secret trial. He is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence. The United States has called his treatment “a mockery of justice.” Both Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich have been determined to be “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. government.
Spokesperson Miller called on Russia to “stop using individuals like Evan Gershkovich or Paul Whelan ... as bargaining chips. They should be released immediately.” He added, “We continue to remain engaged on trying to secure the release of both Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. That will remain a top priority for us.”
