Trial of Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia Begins

In a high-profile case, the espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich commenced behind closed doors in Yekaterinburg, Russia, over a year after his arrest. Gershkovich was apprehended in March last year, accused of gathering secret information for the US on a military equipment factory. Both Gershkovich and the Wall Street Journal deny the charges, with the US government labeling him as wrongfully detained.
The trial’s opening saw brief attendance by journalists and US consular officials before it was closed. The next hearing is scheduled for August 13. Gershkovich’s family and US officials have called for his immediate release, asserting that journalism is not a crime.
Gershkovich, who could face up to 20 years in prison, is the first western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia. The Kremlin has refrained from commenting on the case, which has resonated more in the US than in Russia.
Other Americans detained in Russia include Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, both on separate espionage and legal violation charges. The strained US-Russia relations saw a successful prisoner swap last year but negotiations for Gershkovich’s release remain stagnant.
The trial unfolds amid ongoing tensions from the Russia-Ukraine war, with significant US military aid approved for Ukraine.