A Russian court has sentenced American journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison for espionage in the first conviction of a US journalist for espionage in Russia since the Cold War ended more than 30 years ago.
The Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested in Yekaterinburg, the Urals city about 1,600km (1,000 miles) east of Moscow, in March 2023 while on assignment by his newspaper.
Prosecutors accused him of working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), accusations that Gershkovich, the WSJ, and the U.S. vociferously denied.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Gershkovich was collecting state secrets in a military industrial complex; prosecutors said he was getting information about tank production and repair.
A US national born to Soviet emigrés and fluent Russian speaker, the 32-year-old Gershkovich has reported from Russia since 2017 and has received official accreditation from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The sudden and speedy conviction and sentencing has sparked speculation about an imminent prisoner exchange.
After more than a year behind bars waiting for trial he had an initial hearing in June 2024, the next court date was unexpectedly moved forward to the week of July 15, evidence was heard in secret in a few hours on July 18, and the verdict and sentencing came the next day.
Gershkovich pleaded not guilty.
Both American presidential contenders have said securing Gershkovich’s release is a priority.
President Joe Biden’s administration has said it has been in talks with Moscow for more than a year to try to broker a deal and Donald Trump has used the lack of progress as ammunition, claiming Gershkovich would be “released almost immediately” if he were elected.
Russian observers say a quick conviction could mean an exchange is imminent. According to Russian judicial practice, an exchange generally requires a verdict to be in place already.
Wall Street Journal publisher Almar Latour and Editor in Chief Emma Tucker said in a statement:
“This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist.
“We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evan’s release and to support his family.
“Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he’s released. This must end now.”
Shortly after Gershkovich’s arrest on 29 March 2023 the AEJ joined partner media freedom groups to urge Russian authorities to release him immediately and drop all charges against him.
The organisations of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform said the arrest and detention of Gershkovich is “reminiscent of practices of hostage-taking from the Soviet era and is wholly contrary to the Russian Federation’s obligations and commitments under international law and as a participating state of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).”
Russia convicts and sentences Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich
Is there a prisoner swap coming?
Timeline of the Gershkovich case
The Wall Street Journal on Evan Gershkovich
AEJ joins call to free Gershkovich
