Moscow court leaves WSJ journalist Gershkovich in custody
The Moscow City Court made a decision to leave in custody the reporter of The Wall Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage.
Source: Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, CNN
Details: US citizen Evan Gershkovich appeared at a meeting on Tuesday, 18 April, to challenge the conditions of his detention.
Gershkovich asked to be transferred to house arrest, the defence offered to release him on bail of RUB30 million [approx USD366,900 – ed.], the court refused.
The Moscow City Court left the American journalist in custody, recognising the decision to arrest him as legal.
US Ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, said she spoke with Gershkovich on Monday, and he stays strong and in good health.
"The charges against Evan are baseless, and we call on the Russian Federation to immediately release him," the diplomat said, speaking after the court issued its decision on Tuesday.
Background:
- On 29 March, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) detained Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, in Yekaterinburg, and a criminal case had been opened against him for espionage.
- The Moscow court ordered to detain Evan Gershkovich until 29 May.
- The Wall Street Journal denied the accusations of espionage against journalist Evan Gershkovich and demanded his release.
- The US Department of State designated Gershkovich "wrongfully detained".
- According to the media, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the arrest of US reporter Evan Gershkovich whom Russia accuses of espionage.
- On April 15, journalist Evan Hershkovich wrote his first letter to his relatives from the Lefortovo detention centre, and on April 17, the US ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, visited him in the detention centre for the first time.
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