US journalist at Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, arrested on spying charges, stands inside a defendants cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his arrest at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Sefa Karac A Russian judge on Tuesday upheld the detention of jailed American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested on spying charges as part of a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on dissent and press freedom amid the war in Ukraine.
He and the U.S. government vehemently deny the allegations.The Wall Street Journal reporter is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained in Russia on spying allegations and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and elicited outrage in the West.
Dozens of journalists crowded into the courtroom to catch a glimpse of Gershkovich, who looked calm as he stood inside a glass cage to appeal his detention.Russia’s Federal Security Service detained the 31-year-old in Yekaterinburg in March and accused him of trying to obtain classified information about a Russian arms factory.Gershkovich, his employer and the U.
S. government deny he was involved in spying and have demanded his release."Evan is a member of the free press who right up until he was arrested was engaged in newsgathering.