Russia Imprisons US Journalist for 16 Years on Espionage Charges

US journalist gets 16-Year sentence in Russian spy trial...

American journalist Evan Gershkovich sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison on espionage charges, deemed fabricated by US and Wall Street Journal.

A Russian court has sentenced Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American journalist, to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. The Wall Street Journal correspondent maintained his innocence throughout the trial, which was held behind closed doors.

The US and Gershkovich's employer have denounced the accusations as fabricated. On Friday, July 18, Judge Andrei Mineyev delivered the verdict, sentencing Gershkovich to 16 years in a strict regime colony. When asked if he had any questions, Gershkovich simply replied “Нет” (No) in Russian.

“This unjust and staged conviction follows 478 days of wrongful imprisonment for Evan, during which he has been kept away from his family and friends and prevented from fulfilling his duties as a journalist,” said Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, along with the newspaper's editor-in-chief Emma Tucker, in a statement.

Judge Andrei Mineyev ruled that the 16 months Gershkovich spent in custody since his arrest would be deducted from his 16-year sentence. Furthermore, the judge ordered the destruction of Gershkovich's mobile phone and notebook, which were seized during his arrest.

The defense team has 15 days to file an appeal against the conviction and sentence. This window of opportunity may be the last chance for Gershkovich's legal team to overturn the verdict and secure his release.

Evan Gershkovich was arrested on March 29, 2023, while reporting in Yekaterinburg, a city in the Ural Mountains. He was accused of gathering classified information about a local tank manufacturing facility, Uralvagonzavod, allegedly on behalf of the CIA.

Despite the serious allegations, no concrete evidence has been made public to support the claims against Gershkovich. The Russian government has maintained that he was caught spying on the tank factory and working for the CIA, but the lack of transparency and evidence has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the charges.

Evan Gershkovich has made history as the first Western journalist to be detained on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia. He, his newspaper, and the US government maintain that he was merely doing his job as a journalist, duly accredited by Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The prosecution had sought a harsher sentence of 18 years from the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg. In Russia, closed trials are standard practice for cases involving treason or espionage that handle classified information. Gershkovich's trial has moved at an unusually swift pace since its first hearing in late June.

“We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evan's release and to support his family,” said the statement from his employer.

“Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he's released. This must end now.”