Set behind closed doors, the trial of US journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges in Yekaterinburg, Russia, is scheduled for June 26, as announced by the overseeing court on Monday.
Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was apprehended in March 2023 during a reporting assignment in Yekaterinburg and has been confined in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison ever since.
He is notably the first Western journalist since the Soviet era to be detained in Russia on spying allegations.
Accused by Russia’s prosecutor general of CIA affiliation and gathering classified data on tank manufacturer Uralvagonzavod in the Sverdlovsk region where he was arrested, Gershkovich faces a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted.
Both the US government and The Wall Street Journal have vehemently refuted the charges against Gershkovich, dismissing them as groundless.
The trial announcement came after Moscow had previously withheld public details of the case, stating only that Gershkovich was caught in the act.
Gershkovich, his family, employer, and US officials have consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that he was merely performing his journalistic duties.
In a statement, The Wall Street Journal’s chief editor Emma Tucker and senior executives denounced Russia’s actions, labeling them as outrageous and part of a fabricated trial.
Notably, Washington has classified Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained,” indicating that the US government considers him a political hostage.
The ongoing saga has seen attempts at negotiation between the US and Russia, with the prospect of a prisoner exchange being floated, although specifics remain shrouded in secrecy.
Meanwhile, other American nationals detained in Russia, like reporter Alsu Kurmasheva and former US marine Paul Whelan, are also seeking resolution and potential inclusion in any future prisoner swaps.
Despite the ordeal, Gershkovich, a respected member of the Moscow press community, continues to maintain a positive reputation and camaraderie with fellow inmates at Lefortovo prison.
Source: AFP