U.S. Ambassador Visits Detained American Journalist in Moscow
US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in Lefortovo Prison. Tracy reported Gershkovich's good health, but the charges of espionage against him are considered baseless by the Wall Street Journal and press freedom advocates. The US State Department demanded his release, but a Russian judge rejected it. The US has accused Russia of violating international law by denying consular access to Gershkovich. His detainment is part of Russia's crackdown on media amid the Ukraine invasion. The US State Department reiterated the call for his release and that of Paul Whelan, another American serving a sentence in Russia. Advocates of press freedom continue to demand his freedom.
Lynne Tracy, the United States Ambassador to Russia, visited Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in Lefortovo Prison on Monday. This marks the second such visit since Gershkovich was detained in March on charges of espionage.
A US State Department spokesperson reported that Tracy reported Gershkovich is in good health and remains strong. The Wall Street Journal and advocates of press freedom have dismissed the charges against Gershkovich as baseless.
In April, the US State Department designated Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained” and demanded his immediate release. However, a Russian judge on June 22 rejected an application for Gershkovich to be released while awaiting trial.
The US has been calling on Russia to grant consular access to Gershkovich since his arrest, accusing the Russian authorities of violating international law by not allowing US diplomats to contact him. The Committee to Protect Journalists advocacy group tweeted on Monday to mark 100 days since Gershkovich's arrest and called for his immediate release. Gershkovich's detainment is part of a broader crackdown by Russia on media outlets pushing forward with the invasion of its neighbour, Ukraine. Russian authorities have claimed that Gershkovich was “caught red-handed and violated the laws of the Russian Federation”, but have not presented any evidence to back up their allegations. The US State Department again called for the immediate release of Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a former US Marine, who was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and is serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian penal colony on espionage charges. The US expects Russian authorities to provide continued consular access to Gershkovich due to his wrongful detainment. Advocates of press freedom continue to push for his release, and urge the international community to stand together and demand his freedom.