Moscow court extends arrest of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, says state news agency.
Moscow Court Extends Detention of Wall Street Journal Reporter on Espionage Charges
A Moscow court ruled on Thursday that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must remain in jail until the end of November, according to Russian state news agency Tass.
Mr. Gershkovich, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen, has been held in custody since the end of March when he was detained in Yekaterinburg, nearly 2,000km (1200 miles) east of Moscow, while on a reporting trip. This latest ruling means he could spend at least eight months behind bars.
Arriving at the Moscow court in a white prison van, Mr. Gershkovich appeared in handcuffs, dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a shirt. He attended the court hearing to learn the outcome of the prosecution’s motion to extend his arrest beyond August 30.
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Journalists were not permitted to witness the proceedings outside the court. Tass reported that the hearing took place behind closed doors due to the classified nature of the criminal case.
Russia’s Federal Security Service accused Mr. Gershkovich of “collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex” while acting on the instructions of the American side.
Both Mr. Gershkovich and his employer deny these allegations, with the U.S. government declaring his detention to be wrongful. The details of his case have been shrouded in secrecy, as Russian authorities have not disclosed the evidence supporting the espionage charges.
In response to the extended detention, the Wall Street Journal released a statement, saying: “Today, our colleague and distinguished journalist Evan Gershkovich appeared for a pre-trial hearing where his improper detention was extended yet again. We are deeply disappointed he continues to be arbitrarily and wrongfully detained for doing his job as a journalist. The baseless accusations against him are categorically false, and we continue to push for his immediate release. Journalism is not a crime.”
In August, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy made her third visit.
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