Evan Gershkovich: US journalist arrested in Russia on charges of espionage denied bail

A Russian court, on Tuesday (April 18) denied bail for the United States’ Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich who has been arrested and faces up to 20 years in prison. The journalist has since denied accusations that he is a spy and appeared in a court in Moscow to appeal a decision to keep him in pre-trial detention in a former KGB prison until at least May 29.

What happened during the hearing?

Gershkovich was arrested, on March 29, by the Russian FSB security service in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, on espionage charges and might face up to decades in prison.The partly open hearing began, on Tuesday, where Gershkovich stood behind a glass wall of an enclosure for defendants wearing jeans and a blue checkered shirt.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The US ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy was also in the courtroom and was ushered along with the press during the hearing and was only allowed back for the decision at the end of the hearing.

A judge read out the ruling and said his detention “should remain in place.” Subsequently, Gershkovich responded in Russian, “All understood. Thank you very much,” reported AFP.

The court documents showed nothing more than some details about the case while the Moscow court said that it was forbidden to publish some documents, as per Reuters.

After the hearing,one of his lawyers,Maria Korchagina told AFP thatGershkovich has retained his "fighting spirit" and "working out and he knows that people are supporting him".

US reiterates calls for Gershkovich’s release

In a statement, on Monday, Tracy said that the WSJ reporter, “feels well and is holding up. We reiterate our call for Evan’s immediate release,” after visiting him.

Speaking about the US ambassador’s visit White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, “It was good to get to see him today and again we want to make sure we can continue to do that.”

Last week the US also said that Gershkovich has been “wrongfully detained” and that the spy charges against him are bogus including President Joe Biden who has called his imprisonment “totally illegal”.

Spy charges against Gershkovich

Notably, the WSJ reporter is the first foreign journalist arrested on spying allegations since the collapse of the Soviet Union while Moscow said that he was caught “red-handed” for allegedly collecting what Moscow has said were state secrets about the military-industrial complex.

Gershkovich is currently being held at the Lefortovo prison along with others accused of treason and espionage in Moscow which in Soviet times was run by the KGB but is now operated by the Federal Penitentiary Service.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.