US journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia on espionage charges, remains in prison. A court in Moscow rejected an appeal by the Wall Street Journal reporter. This confirmed the extension of pre-trial detention until August 30, which had previously been ordered by a court of lower instance.
According to an AFP correspondent, the hearing took place behind closed doors. Gershkovich had previously appeared in jeans and a black T-shirt in front of journalists in the glass case provided for the accused.
“We are extremely disappointed that the appeal was rejected,” said US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy after the hearing. Despite very difficult circumstances, Gershkovich continued to show “remarkable strength and resilience” in court, she added. The parents of the “Wall Street” reporter also came to the hearing.
The 32-year-old Gershkovich was arrested at the end of March during a reporting operation in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Among other things, he is accused of having collected information about the Russian arms industry. The reporter, his family, his employer and the US authorities deny the allegations. They are assuming a political process. Since his arrest, the journalist has been held in custody in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.
The Wall Street Journal reporter is the first foreign journalist to be arrested for espionage in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
