MOSCOW: Russian prosecutors on Thursday sent US journalist Evan Gershkovich’s case to court, paving the way for him to be tried on espionage charges denied by his employer and the White House as a sham.
Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested in March 2023 during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg, where he was investigating the activities of tank maker Uralvagonzavod. He has been detained in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo prison since his arrest.
In a statement released on Thursday, Russia’s Prosecutor General accused Gershkovich of espionage, alleging that he was working for the CIA and collecting classified information about Uralvagonzavod in the Sverdlovsk region. The case has been forwarded to the Sverdlovsk Regional Court for further proceedings, although the trial date has not yet been specified.
The announcement provoked strong condemnation from The Wall Street Journal, with chief editor Emma Tucker and top executives denouncing the charges against Gershkovich as “false and baseless.” The Journal characterized Russia’s move towards a trial as “outrageous” and expressed disappointment at the lack of transparency surrounding the case.
Gershkovich’s detention represents a concerning escalation in tensions between Russia and the United States, with Washington categorizing him as wrongfully detained and effectively considering him a political hostage. The US government has accused Russia of arbitrarily arresting US citizens to use them as bargaining chips in diplomatic negotiations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously expressed willingness to see Gershkovich released as part of a potential prisoner exchange, although he emphasized the need for reciprocal gestures, including the release of a Russian national jailed in Germany.
Gershkovich’s case adds to a growing list of US citizens detained in Russia under contentious circumstances, including reporter Alsu Kurmasheva and former US marine Paul Whelan. Amid mounting concerns for Gershkovich’s well-being, his family has relied on assurances from President Joe Biden, who pledged to prioritize efforts to secure his release.
At Lefortovo prison, the reporter shares a small cell with another inmate. He gets an hour-long walk in a small prison yard every day, tries to stay fit through exercise and relies on fruit and vegetables sent by friends to supplement the meagre prison diet.
