Russia’s security services detained the Russia correspondent of the Wall Street Journal, alleging espionage activities. Evan Gershkovich risks a sentence that could reach 20 years.
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Evan Gershkovich, Russia correspondent for the US newspaper Wall Street Journal, was arrested for suspicions of espionage. The news was announced this Thursday by the Russian state agency RIA Novosti, which cited a statement from the FSB, Russia’s security services. The journalist, a US citizen, was arrested in Yekaterinburg, near the Ural Mountains.
“The illegal activities of the American citizen Evan Gershkovich, born in 1991, a correspondent for the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal in Moscow, accredited by the Russian Foreign Ministry, on suspicion of espionage on behalf of the interests of the United States government , they were arrested ”, could be read in the FSB note, cited by the Russian state agency.
It is indicated that the journalist was arrested when “tried to obtain secret information”, the security services said, “at the request of the United States”. Gershkovich would be trying to obtain “classified information about the activities of one of the companies of the Russian military-industrial complex.” The company was not specified.
The American journalist can face a penalty of up to 20 years in prison if convicted of espionage. According to information collected by the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Gershkovich should be transferred from Yekaterinburg to Moscow and confined in the Lefortovo prison, in the country’s capital.
In a statement, the Wall Street Journal said it was “deeply concerned” with the security of the correspondent. The American newspaper “vehemently” denied suspicions that the Moscow correspondent had carried out acts of espionage for the United States.
“The Wall Street Journal wants the immediate release of our dedicated and trusted reporter, Evan Gershkovich,” the newspaper said. “We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family.”
Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said he was aware of the arrest of the American journalist, but that “the prerogative was with the FSB.” “All I can say is that, to my knowledge, he was caught in the act,” Peskov told reporters, quoted by NPR as saying.
Evan Gershkovich has lived in Moscow for six years. Before working for the Wall Street Journal, he was an AFP correspondent in Russia and worked for the New York Times, still in the United States.
Russia detained the Wall Street Journal correspondent. suspected of being a spy
Source: Observadora
