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Evan Gershkovich Arrested In Russia: Is Wall Street Journal Reporter In Jail?
An American journalist working for The Wall Street Journal was detained in Russia on Thursday and charged with espionage for the United States government, according to an announcement made by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
The revelation is indicative of a substantial increase in the Kremlin’s efforts to crush perceived detractors, which is a campaign that gained momentum after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2014.
When the FSB’s security services “stopped the criminal actions of U.S. citizen Evan Gershkovich,” they issued a public statement to that effect.
A Wall Street Journal reporter was “suspected of spying for the US government,” it was reported.
The Wall Street Journal swiftly and categorically rejected these allegations, declaring in a statement that it “vigorously opposes the FSB’s allegations and requests the rapid release of our committed and valued contributor.”
In a statement to workers that was acquired by CNN on Thursday, Almar Latour, the chief executive officer of Dow Jones, which is responsible for publishing The Wall Street Journal, expressed his disapproval of Gershkovich’s imprisonment.
According to Latour, the company is working “around the clock” in order to secure Gershkovich’s release. Latour continued by saying, “This is a very disturbing trend.”
Arrest Of The Wall Street Journal Reporter
The most recent diplomatic crisis between Moscow and Washington was precipitated by the arrest of Russian-speaking Evan Gershkovich, who is now 31 years old and whose parents immigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States.
The two countries, which are already on opposing sides of a crisis in Ukraine, have been engaged in a struggle over the arrests of persons from the other country as well as the status of nuclear arms treaties.
According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Vice President Biden was provided with information regarding Mr. Gershkovich’s arrest.
She reiterated prior warnings issued by the State Department for Americans to steer clear of traveling to Russia.
“We have made it quite obvious that citizens of the United States should not travel to Russia. “That is not safe,” Ms. Jean-Pierre remarked.
According to statements made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the United States is attempting to gain timely consular access to Mr. Gershkovich in order to provide the required assistance.
Mr. Blinken made the following statement: “We condemn in the clearest possible terms the Kremlin’s repeated efforts to intimidate, repress, and penalize journalists and voices from civil society.”
According to Russia’s primary security service, Mr. Gershkovich was detained on Wednesday when he was on a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg, which is around 1,300 kilometers east of Moscow. He is being charged with espionage in connection with the incident.
On Thursday, a district court in the city of Moscow, Russia, decided that Gershkovich will remain in detention until the 29th of May.
It is the first time since the end of the Cold War that Moscow has charged an American journalist with espionage.
A week ago, US authorities arrested Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, who they claimed was a Russian spy and subsequently indicted in federal court.
John Kirby, the strategic coordinator for the National Security Council, stated that it was not immediately apparent whether Mr. Gershkovich’s imprisonment was organized with Russian authorities or intended as revenge for prior concerns.
Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, 37, a Russian citizen, was indicted in a U.S. court last week.
District Court in Washington, D.C., with serving as an agent of a foreign power, visa fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud, in connection with his activities “This is not something I am familiar with. In response, he stated, “I have nothing further to add on this matter.”
John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications for the National Security Council, refused to comment on speculations that Gershkovich’s arrest may be a form of retaliation on Thursday, claiming that they were still gathering information about the situation.
Earlier, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov was quoted by the state news outlet TASS as saying that the United States had not formally approached the Russian Federation regarding the Gershkovich case.
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According to his biography on the website of the Wall Street Journal, Gershkovich concentrates on Russia, Ukraine, and the countries that formerly comprised the Soviet Union.
He formerly held positions at Agence France-Presse, the Moscow Times, and the New York Times, among other publications.
The Detention Of Other Americans
The detention of other Americans has resulted in lengthy and difficult negotiations between the United States government and the Russian government.
The American basketball player Brittney Griner, who had been jailed in February 2022 on bogus drug smuggling claims, was finally freed in December 2022 after being traded for the Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Despite this, the United States was unsuccessful in their efforts to secure the release of fellow American Paul Whelan.
Whelan, a former Marine who holds citizenship in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Canada, was detained in a hotel in Moscow in December 2018 on suspicion of involvement in an intelligence gathering operation, according to the Russian government.
Whelan also holds Irish citizenship. Following a trial that was judged to be unfair by the US officials, he will begin serving his sentence of 16 years in a Russian jail in the year 2020.
