American reporter Evan Gershkovich, convicted with spying charges, sees his trial’s end days on Friday as the last earing comes due.
US reporter in Russia
Evan Gershkovich, a journalist at the Wall Street Journal, was working in Russia by Federal Security Service (FSB) in March of 2023. He was detained in the city of Yekaterinberg where he was on a reporting assignment since 2017 having complete press rights from the visiting country’s foreign ministry.
The journalist is born in America and is son of Soviet origin migrants. He is being accused of “acquiring secret information” according to the instructions of American intelligence agency, CIA. The information gathered is said to be about military arms and equipment which is certainly confidential for a nation’s national interest. He was sent to the Lefortovo Prison where he has being kept for almost 6 months now.
Sentenced for 16 years, how will the country react?
The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted of espionage and is sentenced to 16 years in a maximum security prison on charges for spying and accused for exchange of confidential information. The supporting state is completely in a denial and has called the trial sham.
In June, the UN human rights officials have expressed their concern over Russia prisoning the reporter and has asked the state to release him immediately. “Evan has never been employed by the American government and is not a spy hence he should never have been detained in the first place,” commented the American National Security Spokesperson John Kirby. Collectively, the American Department has declared the victim as “wrongfully detained” and has asked the European state to assert an immediate release. There are reports that apparently show no evidence for the convited journalist which are to be officially relied upon, yet the European state’s agencies and the judiciary are definite about their decisions.
