WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich arrested on ‘espionage’ charges

A Moscow court has arrested Evan Gershkovich, Wall Street journal reporter, as part of the “espionage” criminal case, the court press service told Novaya Gazeta Europe.

The reporter will now be held in custody at least until 29 May 2023.

Lawyer Daniil Berman was barred from attending the hearing where Gershkovich was arrested.

“He was ordered by the US to collect information about a Russian defence industry facility which is classified as a state secret,” Russia’s state-run RIA Novosti news agency was told by the FSB.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained the WSJ journalist on 29 March in Yekaterinburg. According to media reports, he spent several weeks in the city and was particularly interested in attitudes of Russians towards the mercenary Wagner Group. While in Yekaterinburg, Gershkovich interviewed local resident Yaroslav Shirshkov who also accompanied him in the city and introduced to other people for the story he was working on.

Meduza reports citing its source in the Western reporter circles that Evan Gershkovich in the course of his journalistic work travelled to Nizhny Tagil where the Uralvagonzavod defence industry facility is located.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has claimed that the WSJ journalist was “caught red-handed”. At the same time, the official conceded that he did not know any details.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has also commented on the development. “What the staffer of The Wall Street Journal was doing in Yekaterinburg has nothing to do with journalism. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the status of ‘foreign correspondent’, journalist visa, and accreditation are abused by foreigners in our country to cover up activities that have little to do with journalism. It is not the first time that a famous Westerner is caught red-handed,” she wrote.

The Wall Street Journal has issued a statement in support of its staffer.

“The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich. We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family,” the statement reads.