US journalist Gershkovich faced charges of spying by Russian authorities.
Evan Gershkovich, a US reporter, has been charged with espionage in Russia and is set to face trial in Yekaterinburg, a city in the Ural Mountains. This announcement was made by the Russian General Prosecutor's Office in Moscow. Gershkovich, who is 32 years old and works for the Wall Street Journal, has denied the allegations during questioning.
The Russian spokesman for the General Prosecutor's Office stated that Gershkovich, as per the investigation, had collected classified information on behalf of the US intelligence service CIA. This information was related to the production and maintenance of military equipment at the Uralvagonzavod factory in Nizhny Tagil in the Ural Mountains. The spokesman, Andrey Ivanov of the Interfax news agency, added that Gershkovich had followed all the rules of a conspiracy.
In response, the US government fiercely condemned the charges. "These accusations are baseless," said a spokesperson for the US State Department, Matthew Miller. "Reporting is not a crime. The allegations against him are false, and the Russian government knows they are false. He should be freed immediately."
Gershkovich was apprehended towards the end of March 2023 while conducting research in Yekaterinburg. Several media outlets have urged for his release. Following his arrest, US President Joe Biden stated his intent to intervene. Gershkovich's captivity is believed to be a means for Moscow to apply pressure on the US. The detention of the reporter was also perceived as a warning to foreign correspondents who persist in their work in Russia while the nation is at war with Ukraine. As of now, no date for the trial has been established. The hearing in Yekaterinburg, a city two and a half hours east of Moscow, could complicate outside observation of the trial.
Read also:
- The US government is leveraging international diplomacy to advocate for Gershkovich's release, with the US State Department spokesperson stating that reporting is not a crime and criticizing the baseless espionage charges against the Wall Street Journal reporter.
- Despite the Russian General Prosecutor's Office claiming that Gershkovich had collected classified information on behalf of the US intelligence service CIA, Evan Gershkovich, the 32-year-old US reporter from the Wall Street Journal, denies these allegations and maintains his innocence.
- The detention of Gershkovich, a US journalist covering Russia, is seen as an attempt by Moscow to exert leverage on the US, especially in the context of ongoing tensions between Russia and the USA over issues like espionage and the conflict in Ukraine.
