American journalist sentenced to 16 years by Russian court for espionage

An American journalist for the "Wall Street Journal," Evan Gershkovich, was sentenced on Friday to 16 years in prison. Reuters reported that the Russian court found him guilty of espionage. The reporter claims he is innocent.

The prosecution had demanded 18 years in prison for the reporter, a sentence just two years short of the maximum penalty under Russian law for espionage.

The indictment claimed that the journalist, in March 2023, collected classified information on behalf of the CIA about production at the Uralvagonzavod facilities and the repair of military equipment in Yekaterinburg, about 932 miles east of Moscow. He was also accused of acting illegally and using conspiratorial methods.

"This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist," reads a statement published by the "Wall Street Journal." "Journalism is not a crime," it added. It was noted that the journalist was performing normal professional duties as a correspondent formally registered by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Reporters condemned the conviction of Gershkovich Without Borders (RSF), which called for the immediate reversal of the verdict. "Journalists are not spies, and conflating journalism with espionage has highly dangerous implications for press freedom. Targeting Gershkovich in this way is another blatant example of unacceptable state hostage-taking by Russia," stated RSF director Rebecca Vincent.

Evan Gershkovich, the 32-year-old son of immigrants from the USSR, is the first American journalist to be arrested and sentenced on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War.

Reuters asked the Kremlin on Friday about the possibility of such an exchange, but it declined to comment. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously stated that a potential exchange of the journalist could be considered only after a verdict was reached in his case.

In June, the US Embassy in Russia called for the "immediate" release of Gershkovich, as well as Paul Whelan, a former Marine who was also arrested on espionage charges in Moscow in 2018 and is serving a 16-year prison sentence.