US journalist Evan Gershkovich has been sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony in Russia after being found guilty of espionage in a trial that has been condemned as a “sham” by his employer, family, and the White House.
The Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested last March while on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg, accused by prosecutors of working for the CIA, allegations that Gershkovich, the WSJ, and the US vehemently deny.
This marks the first conviction of a US journalist for espionage in Russia since the end of the Cold War over 30 years ago. Both sides have 15 days to appeal the verdict.
The WSJ publisher and Editor in Chief issued a statement calling the conviction disgraceful and vowed to continue pressing for Gershkovich’s release, emphasizing that journalism is not a crime.
Washington accuses Russia of using Gershkovich as a bargaining chip for a possible prisoner swap, with Russian observers suggesting that a quick conviction could signal an imminent exchange. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at a possible swap in a recent interview.
The trial, which began last month, concluded with the judge delivering the verdict earlier than expected. Prosecutors had requested an 18-year prison sentence, accusing Gershkovich of collecting secret information about a tank factory in the Sverdlovsk region under CIA instructions, a claim he denies.
The WSJ has called the trial a “shameful sham” and his detention an “outrage”, as the fight for Gershkovich’s release continues.
