A Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained in Russia on espionage charges lost his appeal against his arrest on Tuesday, meaning he will remain in prison until at least the end of November.
Evan Gershkovich, dressed in a blue shirt, T-shirt and jeans, appeared in a glass cage for defendants at Moscow City Court as he once again appealed his release.
He looked at the cameras in court with a blank expression.
It was the second time in less than a month that the journalist appeared before a judge after the Moscow court refused to hear his appeal in September due to unspecified procedural violations.
The latest decision means Gershkovich, 31, will remain jailed until at least Nov. 30, unless an appeal is heard in the meantime and he is released, an unlikely outcome.
The journalist was detained in March while on a reporting trip to the city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,900 kilometers east of Moscow, and a judge ruled in August that he should remain in prison until the end of November.
The recent court appearance is the second time in less than a month that Evan Gershkovich has appeared before a judge. REUTERS Evan flashes a brave smile as he stands inside the defendants’ cage before a hearing to consider an appeal. AFP via Getty Images
The judicial process is closed because prosecutors say the details of the criminal case are classified.
Russia’s Federal Security Service alleged that Gershkovich, “on instructions from the American side, collected information that constituted a state secret about the activities of one of the companies of the Russian military-industrial complex.”
Gershkovich and the Journal deny the allegations, and the U.S. government has said he is being wrongfully detained.
Russia’s Federal Security Service alleged that Evan Gershkovich, “on instructions from the American side, collected information that constituted a state secret about the activities of one of the companies of the Russian military-industrial complex.”
Russian authorities have not detailed any evidence to support the espionage charges.
He is being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, known for its harsh conditions.
Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, Moscow correspondent for US News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.
Russian authorities have yet to present evidence to support espionage charges against Evan Gershkovich. REUTERS
Analysts have noted that Moscow may be using imprisoned Americans as bargaining chips after tensions between the United States and Russia soared when Russia sent troops to Ukraine.
At least two American citizens arrested in Russia in recent years, including WNBA star Brittney Griner, have been exchanged for Russians imprisoned in the United States.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has said it will consider a swap for Gershkovich only after a verdict in his trial. In Russia, espionage trials can last more than a year.
The Lefortovo detention center, where Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on suspicion of espionage, is reportedly being held in Moscow.REUTERS
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Source: vtt.edu.vn