A Russian court found U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage charges on Friday and sentenced him to 16 years in prison. Gershkovich, a 32-year-old journalist for the Wall Street Journal, has denied the allegations, asserting that he was merely performing his duties as a reporter. His employer and the U.S. government have called the trial a sham.
The Kremlin alleges that Gershkovich was caught “red-handed” gathering intelligence on a company that manufactures tanks for Russia’s war in Ukraine. He was arrested by FSB security officers on March 29, 2023, in Yekaterinburg and has been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison since then.
Despite the conviction, there has been speculation about a possible U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich and other Americans detained in Russia, such as former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. The Kremlin has confirmed contacts with the U.S. about potential exchanges but has provided no further details. The U.S. continues to assert that Gershkovich is “wrongfully detained” and calls for his immediate release.
