Wall Street Journal Reporter Detained in Russia on Espionage Charges
American Citizen Evan Gershkovich Accused of Spying
Breaking Story, March 29, 2023
Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old American journalist and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was detained by Russian security forces on March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip in the industrial city of Yekaterinburg. Gershkovich is the American-born son of Soviet-era emigres and has been reporting on Russia for several years. The circumstances surrounding the detention remain unclear, but Russian authorities have accused Gershkovich of espionage.
Gershkovich was reportedly detained while meeting with a source at a restaurant in Yekaterinburg. According to the Journal, Gershkovich's detention occurred as part of a crackdown on foreign journalists and dissidents in Russia. The country has been under heightened scrutiny since its invasion of Ukraine last year, and the government has accused foreign journalists of spreading "false information" about the war.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has demanded Gershkovich's immediate release and has condemned the charges against him as "baseless." The Wall Street Journal has also called for Gershkovich's release, saying that he is a "respected and experienced journalist who was doing his job when he was detained."
The detention of Gershkovich has raised concerns about the freedom of the press in Russia and the safety of foreign journalists working in the country. The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned Gershkovich's detention and demanded his immediate release.
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