31.03.2023
The Russian security service said in a statement that a reporter from the Moscow bureau of the Wall Street Journal had been arrested “on suspicion of espionage”. The White House strongly condemned this.
(Deutsche Welle Chinese Network) According to a report by the Russian International Fax Agency (Interfax) on March 30, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) issued a statement saying that it had arrested a “Wall Street Journal” reporter in Yekaterinburg on suspicion of “espionage”. Correspondent in the Moscow bureau.
The statement pointed out that journalist Evan Gershkovich “on behalf of the United States” tried to collect Russian state secrets from a military-industrial complex, and mentioned that criminal proceedings had been opened on the case. In this regard, the Kremlin spokesman only said that the reporter was “caught right away” and that it was the responsibility of the Federal Security Service.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse on the 30th, US officials said they were contacting Gershkovich’s family and the Wall Street Journal, while the State Department was contacting Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly condemned Russia’s attempts to “intimidate, persecute and punish journalists”. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre also criticized Russia’s so-called espionage allegations as “absurd” and suggested that U.S. citizens still in Russia should heed the U.S. government’s warning to leave Russian territory immediately.
After the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia drastically tightened controls on the media
Sent to prison to await trial
The FSB mentioned that Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg while trying to obtain classified information, but provided no evidence or further details on where it took place. Gershkovich will be sent to Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, a pre-trial detention center for the Federal Security Service, according to Russia’s Kommersant newspaper.
Gershkovic’s cell phone was out of order on Thursday, and he was last online at 1:28 p.m. Moscow time on Wednesday, according to records on his Telegram account.
The Wall Street Journal denies the allegations
The Wall Street Journal said late Thursday that it firmly denied the FSB’s allegations against its staff and demanded Gershkovich’s immediate release, and other foreign journalists covering Russia also voiced support online for Gershkovich. Investigative journalist Andrej Soldatow, who lives outside Russia, wrote on his personal Twitter: Gershkovich is not a spy, but a very good and courageous reporter. The arrest is a frontal attack on all foreign journalists still working in Russia.
Reporters Without Borders, a non-governmental organization, pointed out on Twitter that Gershkovich is investigating the Wagner Group. The organization is concerned about this “suspected act of revenge”. as a target”.
Press freedom restricted
Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, has covered Russia-related news since 2017, according to a profile on the Journal’s website. Before The Wall Street Journal, he worked for AFP, The Moscow Times. In recent months, he has mainly covered Russian politics and the conflict with Ukraine.
The incident is the most serious public campaign by Russian authorities against foreign journalists since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war last year.Russia has tightened its media laws significantly after it began its invasion of Ukraine.In February of this year, the U.S. State Department updated its travel guidance again, stating that due to the risk of arbitrary arrest, U.S. citizens are advised not to travel to Russia, and that those living or traveling in Russia should leave immediately.
(Reuters, Wall Street Journal, Reporters Without Borders, etc.)
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