Journalist's Appeal Against Pre-trial Detention Rejected in Espionage Case

The Moscow City Court on Thursday rejected an appeal by Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich against his extended pre-trial detention. Gershkovich, 32, is accused of espionage by Russia, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The court ruled that the initial decision to extend his detention should remain unchanged and that the complaint of his defense should not be satisfied. The US ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, expressed disappointment in the decision. "We were extremely disappointed by the denial of his appeal," she said. "Despite Russian officials public assertions about Evan's activities, let me reiterate the US government's firm position: the charges against him are baseless." Gershkovich is currently being held in the Moscow pre-trial detention center, the Lefortovo Prison. Maria Kiseleva, a journalist based in Riga, noted that prisoners can spend years in this prison before they are convicted.

"For example, Paul Whelan, the former US marine, was in this prison for two years before he was convicted on charges of espionage," she said. The Wall Street Journal and the US government have both called the allegations against Gershkovich unfounded, contending that he was working as an accredited correspondent. Gershkovich is the child of two parents who left the Soviet Union for the United States during the Cold War. He became the first foreign journalist arrested in Russia on spying charges since the collapse of the Soviet Union when Russia first arrested him in late March.

The trial date has not yet been set and the court documents are not being made public due to the sensitivity of the espionage charges. The Wall Street Journal representative said before the hearing that they did not hold out much hope for the appeal, but considered it important to go through the available legal motions all the same.