MOSCOW: Russia has extended by three months the pre-trial detention of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in March on espionage charges.
A court ordered that Mr Gershkovich’s detention be extended until August 30, according to Arab media reports. The US officials have called for release of the Wall Street Journal correspondent on immediate basis.
His arrest marked the first time Russia had accused a US journalist of espionage since the Soviet era. Gershkovich, who was arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg while reporting on the Ukraine war, has denied the charges, as has the Wall Street Journal and United States government.
The judge’s ruling means that Gershkovich will continue to be held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison. No journalists were allowed into Tuesday’s court hearing, which was not announced in advance. It is not clear whether Gershkovich, 31, attended.
The spokesman for the US state department, Matthew Miller said that diplomats from the US embassy had been in the court. Gershkovich’s parents were allowed to the court building, but not into Tuesday’s hearing, according to Russian news agency, Interfax.
The state department said the United States didn’t assist the parents in travelling to Moscow from their home in New Jersey, US. “The claims against evan are baseless and we continue to call for his immediate release,” Miller said at the Washington DC briefing.
Russia has alleged that Gershkovich was attempting to gather information to pass on to the US intelligence agencies. Russia has not yet publicly presented any evidence. He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
