In the latest development, the Russian legal authorities have reportedly demanded an 18-year incarceration for Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent with the Wall Street Journal. Notably, Gershkovich is currently being tried on allegations of spying, claims he, his employer, and the American government firmly reject.
This week, the court-based proceedings against Gershkovich, held in Russia’s highly politicised judicial system, saw Gershkovich attending court for a second consecutive day as his case progresses swiftly.
It’s noteworthy that, unlike previous instances when journalists could briefly interact with Gershkovich prior to the commencement of court proceedings, there was a distinct lack of courtroom accessibility this week. Furthermore, Gershkovich remained unseen, with no rationale being offered for this. Traditionally, cases involving allegations of spying and betrayal tend to be veiled in secrecy.
Court officials have indicated that a verdict is likely to be announced later on Friday.
Gershkovich, aged 32, found himself under arrest in March 2023 while undertaking a journalistic assignment in the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia’s Ural Mountains. Russian law enforcement agencies claimed, without presenting any supporting evidence, that he was involved in covert information gathering for the US. Born in America to parents who emigrated from the former Soviet Union, Gershkovich marks the first instance of a western reporter being detained in post-Soviet Russia on spying charges.
The Wall Street Journal issued a strong statement in support of Gershkovich on Thursday, stating, “Evan’s improper detention has been nothing short of scandalous since his wrongful arrest 477 days ago, and this flagrant injustice must cease immediately”. They further emphasised that they are doing everything in their power to expedite Gershkovich’s release and stated the crucial role he was doing as a journalist. “Evan was merely exercising his professional duties as a journalist. Journalism is not a crime. The time to bring him home is now.”
Reinforcing this, the American State Department declared Gershkovich to be “improperly detained”, thereby officially committing the US government to work proactively towards his liberation.
In the face of Russia’s notorious legal system, which is highly political and boasts a conviction rate over 99%, Gershkovich is in severe danger of facing two decades behind bars if his trial results in a guilty verdict. Should the prosecutor find the punishment to be too mild, they have the ability to file an appeal, even in the case of an acquittal.
The Russian foreign affairs minister, Sergey Lavrov, declared on Wednesday that there is “indisputable evidence” against Gershkovich. But neither Lavrov nor any other Russian official has made this evidence public. During this announcement at the United Nations, Mr Lavrov suggested that Moscow and Washington’s “special services” are deliberating a potential prisoner swap involving Gershkovich. Despite this, Russia asserts that a final verdict is required before such a swap could occur.
When questioned about these ongoing discussions, Vedant Patel, the deputy spokesperson for the State Department, provided no details. However, he did reiterate the US’s stance that Evan is blameless and should not be in custody, citing a lack of evidence presented by Russia to validate his ongoing detention.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations, condemned Moscow for treating people as negotiation tools. Alongside Gershkovich, she highlighted the case of ex-Marine Paul Whelan. The 53-year-old corporate security director from Michigan is currently serving a 16-year term for so-called spying charges, claims which both Whelan and the US fervently oppose.
Gershkovich, who had been held for about 15 months in the infamous Lefortovo Prison in Moscow, began his trial on June 26th in Yekaterinburg. Initially, the court announced that the trial would be postponed until mid-August. However, in response to pleas from Gershkovich’s legal team, the hearings were brought forward to this week, according to reports from Russian news outlets.
The Russian prosecutor general’s office exclaims that Gershkovich is accused of espionage for the CIA. Allegedly, he was gathering classified data regarding Uralvagonzavod, a facility located approximately 150km north of Yekaterinburg that specializes in fabricating and repairing tanks and other military hardware. This narrative has been bluntly rejected by Gershkovich’s workplace and US officials, who assert the charges to be unfounded, thereby demeaning the legitimacy of the trial.
John Kirby, the security spokesperson for the White House, pointed out in a statement last month that Evan has never been on the payroll of the US government and is not an intelligence agent. He reminded that journalism is not an illegal activity and that Evan’s detainment was uncalled for from the outset.
Russian officials are noted for their wide-ranging definition of serious offences such as treason and spying, often targeting individuals who share public information with foreign entities, accusing them of leaking state secrets.
United Nations human rights experts earlier this month declared that Russia was in breach of international law due to its imprisonment of Gershkovich and called for his “immediate” liberation.
The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which compromises of independent specialists brought together by the chief human rights body of the UN, highlighted the distinct absence of any concrete or legal evidence to support the espionage accusations made against Gershkovich. They emphasised that his American citizenship was a factor in his apprehension and consequently, the case brought against him was prejudiced.
The number of Americans taken into custody in Russia is on the rise, with nine US citizens presently known to be held there. This comes at a time when relations between Russia and the US are strained due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – AP.