LONDON — A Russian court on Tuesday extended Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s pre-trial detention until at least June 30.
The journalist was arrested in March 2023 by Russia’s powerful domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service, or FSB, while on a reporting trip to the city of Yekaterinburg. He has been held since then in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.
He’s been accused of “acting on the instructions of the American side” and collecting state secrets about the military.
Gershkovich has attempted to appeal for release several times over the the last year, but has each time had those appeals denied, extending his pre-trial detention.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court, in Moscow, Russia, June 22, 2023.
AP
The Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in an interview published Monday that she believes that their reporter will be eventually freed.
“Evan will be released, but it’s complicated to get there,” she said. “There are a lot of different people and governments involved. So I think, you know, we just have to be patient, and optimistic.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined in April 2023 that Gershkovich had been wrongly detained, with Vedant Patel, a department spokesperson, saying at the time that U.S. officials “condemn the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia, and its ongoing war against the truth.”
The journalist, who served as a correspondent in the Journal’s Moscow bureau, is one of several high-profile U.S. citizens or dual nationals currently detained in Russia.
Paul Whelan, a Marine veteran who the U.S. also designated as wrongly detained, was charged with espionage and convicted in 2020, following 18 months in pre-trial detention.
Ksenia Karelina, a dual American-Russian citizen, was arrested Jan. 27 and later jailed for allegedly organizing fundraisers for Ukraine’s military, attending pro-Ukraine rallies, and posting messages against Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to Russian state media.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is escorted from the Lefortovsky court in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 26, 2024.
Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
Another journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva, of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was detained in October 2023.
“The Russian government has not allowed Alsu to speak to her husband or daughters for over four months, and despite repeated requests by the U.S. government, Alsu has been denied consular access, her right as a U.S. citizen,” RFE/RL said in a statement this month.
Gershkovich was last seen in a Moscow court in February, when his pre-trial detention was again extended for 30 days.
“As you’ve heard me say many times from this podium, the charges against him are baseless and Russia should immediately release Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, and the United States will continue to work towards securing both of their freedom,” Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesperson, said at the time.
ABC News’ Jon Haworth, Patrick Reevell, Meredith Deliso, Shannon K. Crawford and Caroline Guthrie contributed to this story.
Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has been detained in Russia and will remain in custody until June 30. The decision to extend his detention was made by a Moscow court on Thursday, citing the need for further investigation into his case.
Gershkovich was initially detained on April 28 while reporting on protests in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He was charged with violating Russia’s protest laws and has been held in a detention center since his arrest.
The Wall Street Journal has called for Gershkovich’s immediate release, stating that he was simply doing his job as a journalist and should not be punished for it. The Committee to Protect Journalists has also condemned his detention, calling it a violation of press freedom.
Gershkovich’s case is just one example of the challenges faced by journalists working in Russia. The country has a long history of cracking down on independent media and restricting freedom of the press. Reporters who cover sensitive topics or criticize the government often face harassment, intimidation, and even violence.
In recent years, the Russian government has passed laws targeting journalists and media organizations, making it increasingly difficult for them to operate freely. This has led to a climate of fear and self-censorship among journalists, who risk arrest or other forms of retaliation for their reporting.
The detention of Evan Gershkovich is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by journalists in Russia and the importance of protecting press freedom. As his case continues to unfold, it serves as a sobering reminder of the risks that journalists take every day to bring important stories to light.
