Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter and American citizen, appeared in a Moscow court on Tuesday to appeal his detention on spying charges. He is the first American journalist to be detained in Russia since the Cold War, and his arrest has sparked outrage in the West. The U.S. government and his employer deny the allegations and have demanded his release.
The Moscow City Court is considering a defense appeal of his detention, and he could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He has been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison which dates from the czarist era and has been a terrifying symbol of repression since Soviet times.
Gershkovich's lawyers, Tatyana Nozhkina and Maria Korchagina are challenging his detention while Russian authorities claim that he engaged in “espionage in the interests of the American government.” Furthermore, they state that he was caught "red-handed" by Russian officials.
U.S Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy attended Tuesday's hearing where she gained consular access to Gershkovich for the first time since Monday. However, it was ruled that Gerskhovick will remain jailed at least until May 29th as determined by Moscow City Court.
The State Department condemned “the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia” and its ongoing war against truthful information dissemination amidst escalating tensions between Western countries following Russia's invasion into Ukraine.
"The US State Department designates Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as wrongfully detained," said spokesperson Ned Price at an official briefing concerning accusations made about collecting "information constituting a state secret about activities within Russia's military-industrial complex."
Despite multiple attempts for justice by both local legal representatives like Nozhinka & Korchagina or international pressure from foreign diplomats such as Ambassador Tracy; this case is far from being resolved.