President Biden vows to continue efforts to secure the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia for one year on espionage charges. The U.S. government, The Wall Street Journal, and Gershkovich himself all deny the accusations, with U.S. officials calling his detention wrongful.
In a statement on Friday, Biden emphasized that journalism is not a crime and praised Gershkovich for risking his safety to report on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal also showed support by leaving a blank space on its front page with Gershkovich’s image and a headline that read, “His Story Should be Here.”
Despite a recent court hearing offering little new information, Gershkovich remains behind bars pending trial until at least June 30. Biden expressed admiration for Gershkovich’s resilience and reiterated the U.S. government’s commitment to securing his release, along with other Americans wrongfully detained abroad.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed Biden’s sentiments, calling for an end to Russia’s practice of using individuals as bargaining chips and demanding the immediate release of Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another American held in Russia on espionage charges.
The case of Evan Gershkovich continues to draw international attention and calls for justice as efforts to secure his release persist.
