Russian authorities have arrested Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich, on suspicion of spying. The Federal Security Service announced that the reporter was detained in Yekaterinburg while allegedly attempting to obtain classified information.
The Ural Mountains city has been a center of political unrest lately, and it's no secret that the Russian government is closely monitoring foreign journalists operating in the area. According to sources, Mr. Gershkovich was taken into custody after he was caught trying to gain access to restricted areas without proper authorization.
The charges against him are serious and carry severe penalties if found guilty. Mr. Gershkovich now faces up to 20 years behind bars for espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code.
The Wall Street Journal said in a statement that they were aware of Mr. Gershkovitch's detention and were working with US officials to secure his release as soon as possible.
"We are deeply concerned about Evan's arrest and are actively working with US authorities and his family towards securing his prompt release," said Matt Murray, editor-in-chief at The Wall Street Journal.
This isn't the first time that foreign journalists have faced legal trouble in Russia over their reporting activities. In recent years, several reporters have been expelled from the country or jailed for various reasons related to their work.
Mr.Gershkovitch is an award-winning journalist who has worked extensively across Eastern Europe covering politics and business news stories for over six years before joining WSJ this year.
Mr.Gerskhovitch arrest highlights Press Freedom concerns raised by many human rights organizations about media freedom violations by Russian security agents aimed at curtailing coverage of sensitive issues such as corruption or protests by non-Russian media organizations operating within its borders.