What is the Case Against US Journalist Evan Gershkovich?

Evan Gershkovich was a US journalist who was working in Russia in 2023. It is at this time, on March 29, 2023, that the journalist got detained. The man was accused of espionage for about an year. This made him the very first American to get detained on an allegation like this ever since the Cold War.

As per reports, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia expressed on June 5 that the United States is actually taking "vigorous steps" in the matter. He further said that the matter could be resolved on the basis of reciprocity.

Here, we explain the case in detail.

Evan Gershkovich and his detainment in Russia

Evan Gershkovich is a Russian speaker. He is the American-born child of the Soviet immigrants. He worked at the Wall Street Journal, but before working in the WSJ, he worked for Agence France Press and The Moscow Times.

Reports suggest that the Evan Gershkovich was detained by the Federal Security Service of Russia in Yekaterinburg in the year 2023. The man worked on a reporting assignment there. At that time, the man held complete press credentials from the foreign ministry of Russia.

In March 2023, the FSB expressed that it had actually put an end to the "illegal activities of US citizen Gershkovich Evan, born in 1991, a correspondent of the Moscow bureau of the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, accredited at the Russian foreign ministry, who is suspected of spying in the interests of the American government.”

However, on the other hand, his family and the United States government have denied the allegations against Gershkovich.

Matthew Miller, the United States Department spokesman expressed that there was "zero credibility to those charges.” The man further said that Gersholovich should be released at the earliest.

Concerns over the trials

It is clear that the trials of the man will be commencing in Russia. The date of the same, however, isn't known as of now. In the United States, there are several concerns about the possibility of unfair and non-transparent legal process. Additionally, in case the US journalist gets convicted, he will have to face an imprisonment of 20 years.

Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in the month of February two years ago, the relations between the United States and Russia have deteriorated. The detention of many US citizens have been linked to the tensed relationships. Many analysts are of the opinion that detentions like these would be helpful for the Russian authorities to secure concessions.