An American journalist, Evan Gershkovich, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison by a Russian court after being found guilty of espionage.
The trial was held behind closed doors due to “national security” issues.
Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter, was arrested in March 2023 in Ekaterinburg.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) accused him of possessing information on a Russian defense enterprise. Gershkovich’s family and work colleagues deny the charges and claim he was instead conducting an ordinary journalistic investigation.
His arrest marked the first time an American reporter had been detained on suspicion of espionage since the Cold War.
Gershkovich has been held in detention throughout the investigation and trial. According to the Sverdlovsk Regional Court press service, he again denied any wrongdoing at the hearing on Friday.
“Gershkovich Evan has been found guilty and given a sentence of imprisonment for a term of 16 years, to be served in a maximum security colony,” the presiding judge said while announcing the verdict, as cited by a RIA Novosti correspondent.
Prosecutors previously demanded an 18-year term for the journalist, while the maximum penalty he faced was 20 years.
According to Roger Carstens, US special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Washington had previously attempted to broker a deal with Moscow for the release of Gershkovich but had thus far failed to succeed in the effort.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that Russia was considering a potential prisoner swap involving him and was in contact with American intelligence agencies.”
World Reacts
United States President Joe Biden said Washington was pushing hard for the release of Gershkovich after his sentence was announced.
“There is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime,” Biden said in a statement.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the decision to sentence Gershkovich “despicable”.
“The sentencing of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russia’s utter contempt for media freedom,” Starmer wrote on X.
“Journalism should not be a crime. Gershkovich must be released immediately.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said journalism is “not a crime and the truth cannot be locked away”.
“Evan’s conviction … shows [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s fear of the power of facts. The verdict is politically motivated and part of Putin’s war propaganda,” Baerbock wrote on X.
European Union Parliament chief Roberta Metsola said the trial was “the antithesis of justice”.
“A politically motivated and sham trial. Journalism is not a crime. Evan must be released immediately,” she posted on X.
Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused Russia of using “its politicised legal system to punish journalism”.
“The EU calls to #FreeEvan and all other political prisoners,” he wrote on X.
UN The United Nations Human Rights Office said there are serious concerns about the sentencing of Gershkovich.
“Journalists should be able to perform their essential professional functions work in a safe environment without fear of reprisals – in line with Russia’s international human rights obligations,” it said in a statement.
“We call for the release of all journalists in Russia detained solely for doing their jobs,” it added.
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