Evan Gershkovich: Journalist Detained in Russia for Over a Year Amid Espionage Claims

Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Marks 14 Months in Russian Detention
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter, has been detained for 14 months in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, facing espionage charges deemed baseless by the U.S. government and his employer. Arrested on March 29, 2023, in Yekaterinburg, Russia, despite being accredited to report in the country, Gershkovich’s appeals for release have been unsuccessful, with his pretrial detention extended to at least June.
President Biden and Wall Street Journal officials have publicly called for his release, emphasizing the injustice of his detention. Gershkovich, an American of Soviet descent, was reporting in Russia’s fourth-largest city at the time of his arrest. Recently, he was named the 2024 Daniel Pearl Awardee for Courage and Integrity in Journalism, an honor recognizing his plight and symbolizing the importance of press freedom.
The Wall Street Journal has been actively campaigning for Gershkovich’s release, organizing public events and even featuring an “Evan burger” in its corporate office cafeteria to keep the reporter in public consciousness. A prisoner swap has been suggested as a potential route for his release, similar to other high-profile detentions.
For more information on Gershkovich’s situation and efforts for his release, visit WSJ.com/evan and FreeGershkovich.com.