A Wall Street Journal reporter was jailed in Russia on suspicion of espionage, and the Biden administration publicly concluded on Monday that the journalist had been “wrongfully held.”
The designation gives Evan Gershkovich’s case more priority in the US government’s chain of command and designates a specific State Department office to take the lead in gaining his release.
The decision was made public on Monday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who also denounced the detention and Russia’s harassment of independent media.
The department issued a statement saying that “Today, Secretary Blinken made a finding that Evan Gershkovich is illegally held by Russia.” Journalistic work is not illegal. We denounce the Kremlin’s continuous battle against the truth and its continued suppression of Russia’s independent voices.
On March 29, Russian authorities detained 31-year-old Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg, the country’s fourth-largest city. He is the first American journalist to be jailed for alleged espionage since the end of the Cold War.
Gershkovich was explicitly charged by the Federal Security Agency with attempting to gather sensitive information about a Russian arms factory. The charges have been refuted by The Wall Street Journal.
Gershkovich and his family will receive all necessary support, according to the State Department, which once more urged Russia to free him and another American detainee, Paul Whelan.
Since Russian news outlets reported on Friday that Gershkovich had been charged with espionage and had lodged a formal denial, Monday’s statement from Blinken was the first remark made in public regarding the issue.
The Federal Security Agency, also known as the FSB, is believed to have charged the American journalist, according to reports from the state news agencies Tass and Interfax.
The news sources did not specify when or under what circumstances Gershkovich was officially accused; nonetheless, in most cases, suspects are given a document explaining the charges.
Russian authorities detain a Street Journal writer on suspicion of spying
In the Russian legal system, the formal beginning of a criminal investigation is marked by the filing of accusations and a response from the accused. This marks the beginning of what might be a protracted and secretive Russian judicial process.
According to a source cited by Tass, Gershkovich was accused of espionage in the service of his nation by the FSB. He vehemently refuted all charges and claimed that he was working as a journalist in Russia.
Because the matter is regarded as secret, the source declined to make any other comments.
A top Russian diplomat and the US ambassador to Moscow met last Thursday to discuss the matter, which has sparked outrage on a global scale.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov emphasised “the serious nature of the charges” against Gershkovich in his meeting with American Ambassador Lynne T. Tracy, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The assertion that the reporter “was caught red-handed while trying to get secret material, using his journalistic standing as a cover for unlawful conduct” was repeated by earlier Russian claims.
A two-month detention order has been issued for Gershkovich in Russia while an investigation is conducted. According to Russian news outlets, a court in Moscow said that it has received a defence appeal about his arrest. The appeal is expected to be heard on April 18.
