Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia for espionage, according to Russian news agencies.
US journalist Evan Gershkovich has been sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia. The responsible court in Yekaterinburg found the 32-year-old guilty of “espionage” on Friday, as an AFP reporter reported. According to the verdict, the journalist from the “Wall Street Journal” must serve his sentence in a penal colony under “aggravated conditions”. However, Gershkovich’s conviction could also open the way for an exchange for a Russian prisoner.
Gershkovich showed no noticeable reaction to the conviction. He stood in a glass defendant’s cage wearing dark trousers and a T-shirt. As he was led away, he waved to the journalists present in the courtroom.
Prosecutors had called for an 18-year prison sentence. The unusual pace at which the trial was held behind closed doors has fueled speculation that a long-discussed prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States could be imminent.
Gershkovich denies allegations – Russia: “Caught red-handed”
Gershkovich was the first Western journalist to be arrested in Russia on espionage charges since the end of the Cold War. He was accused of collecting information on a Russian tank manufacturer on behalf of the US secret service CIA. The 32-year-old denies the charges. The Wall Street Journal sees the proceedings as a sham trial, the outcome of which is a foregone conclusion.
Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 and has been in custody since then. The Russian government had declared that the journalist had been caught red-handed, but has not released any evidence. The US Embassy in Moscow has repeatedly called for Gershkovich’s immediate release. It accused the Russian government of abusing US citizens to achieve political goals. The trial was not public.
Many Western media outlets have withdrawn their staff from Russia after Russian President Vladimir Putin passed laws with severe penalties for “discrediting” the armed forces or spreading “fake news” in the wake of the war of aggression against Ukraine. Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was arrested last year for violating the law on “foreign agents” and spreading false information about the armed forces. She also denies the charges.
Note: This article has been updated several times and additional information has been added.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
