Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich’s detention is extended by two months by a Russian court
The detention of American Wall Street Journal writer Evan Gershkovich, who is being detained in Moscow on allegations of espionage, which he denies, was extended by a Moscow court on Friday until March 30.
The court posted on Telegram, “The period of detention of Evan Gershkovich is extended by two months, until March 30.”
The US government, Gershkovich’s company, and other parties strongly deny the espionage accusations, which are the first against a foreign journalist since the Soviet period.
He was detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg at the end of March of last year while on a reporting trip, and if found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in jail.
Despite many Western journalists fleeing Russia after the Kremlin’s attack in Ukraine, the American, who had previously worked for AFP, persisted in reporting from the nation.
Russia says it has Gershkovich “red-handed,” but it hasn’t offered any concrete proof of its accusations against him to the public.
He has been detained in the infamous Lefortovo jail in Moscow.
