The Kremlin confirmed on Friday that all accredited foreign journalists can continue to work in Russia, a day after a reporter for the Wall Street Journal was arrested on espionage charges by the Russian Federal Security Service.
The Kremlin indicated that Ivan Gershkovich was engaged in espionage “under cover” of the press. This is the first case of its kind against an American reporter since the end of the Cold War.
“All journalists who have valid accreditation here, I mean foreign journalists, can continue and actually continue their journalistic activity in the country. They do not face any restrictions and work well,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.
Gershkovich, an accredited reporter, was arrested in Yekaterinburg on charges that the US administration and people close to Gershkovich said were false.
A Moscow court ordered him detained until at least May 29, as a prelude to trial.
On Friday, Peskov reiterated his assertion that Gershkovitch was “caught red-handed”, but refused to delve into the details of the case, which has been kept secret even by the reporter’s legal team.
Peskov also urged Washington not to retaliate by expelling Russian journalists working in the United States.
