The trial of US journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges in Russia is scheduled to commence on June 26, 2024, announced a court in Yekaterinburg, a city in the Urals region.
According to the Sverdlovsk regional court overseeing the proceedings, the trial will be conducted behind closed doors. Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was detained in March 2023 during a reporting assignment in Yekaterinburg and has since been held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.
Last week, Russia’s prosecutor general accused Gershkovich of espionage on behalf of the CIA, alleging he gathered classified information concerning Uralvagonzavod, a tank manufacturer in the Sverdlovsk region where he was apprehended.
The United States has strongly refuted these allegations, dismissing them as lacking credibility, while The Wall Street Journal condemned Russia’s announcement, denouncing it as outrageous.
“Evan Gershkovich is facing baseless charges. Russia’s intention to proceed with what appears to be a sham trial is deeply disappointing,” stated Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, along with other senior executives.
Until now, Moscow had not disclosed specifics of its case against Gershkovich, stating only that he was apprehended in flagrante delicto.
Gershkovich, aged 32, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, marking him as the first Western journalist since the Soviet era to be detained on spying charges in Russia.
17th Jun 2024
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