WSJ marks one year since reporter Gershkovich's arrest in Russia

DPA
·2 min read
A picture made available by the Wall Street Journal, shows Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen and WSJ reporter, who was detained by Russia's secret service FSB for alleged espionage. On the first anniversary of the arrest of US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia, the outlet he wrote for - the Wall Street Journal - has called for his immediate release. The Wall Street Journal/dpa
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On the first anniversary of the arrest of US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia, the outlet he wrote for - the Wall Street Journal - has called for his immediate release.

In the print edition, the front page of a special section on Friday had a large blank space, with the headline: "His story should be here."

Gershkovich has been deprived of a normal existence for 12 months, the WSJ said: "a year of stolen stories, stolen joys, stolen memories."

The newspaper also reported extensively on his imprisonment and threats to press freedom worldwide.

The Russia correspondent was detained on March 29 while on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg. He had full press accreditation from the Russian Foreign Ministry and was arrested while doing his job, the paper said. Russia accuses the 32-year-old of spying for the United States.

Gershkovich and his employer reject the accusations.

US President Joe Biden also commented on the reporter's fate on Friday, issuing a statement saying that "journalism is not a crime."

It was "appalling" to use US citizens such as Gershkovich as diplomatic bargaining chips, Biden said.

On Tuesday a Moscow court extended Gershkovich's pre-trial detention by a further three months.

According to the WSJ, he is being held in Lefortovo prison, where he is largely isolated from the outside world and spends 90% of the day in a small cell.

The WSJ reported that "Berlin is a main node in Evan's life," with numerous colleagues relocating there after the war with Ukraine broke out over two years ago.

Colleagues and journalists in the German capital planned on Friday to meet at the city's iconic Brandenburg Gate landmark to mark one year since his arrest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signalled publicly that he was prepared to exchange Gershkovich for Russians imprisoned in the West.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea that Russia was one of the world's most dangerous places to be a journalist.

Although there is now "strict legislation" in Russia, the rules are clear and understandable and "those who violate them will be punished," Peskov said.