Trial of journalist Gershkovich in Russia behind closed doorways

The trial in Russia towards the American reporter Evan Gershkovich is happening behind closed doorways. The case will begin subsequent Wednesday, June 26. Russian state information businesses TASS and RIA report this, primarily based on data from the Russian courtroom.

final week prosecutors introduced that the case towards Gershkovich will probably be heard by a courtroom in Yekaterinburg, the place the reporter was arrested in March 2023. The Russians accuse him of spying for American intelligence service CIA. Gershkovich undoubtedly denies this.

Gershkovich has all the time maintained that he solely did journalistic work, and no proof has ever been launched to help the allegation of espionage. Earlier this yr, the US authorities mentioned the journalist had been “unjustly imprisoned” and was working to safe his launch. Gershkovich’s employer The Wall Road Journal additionally insists he was solely involved with reporting.

Based on Washington, Russia is gathering People to make use of them as a bargaining chip. For instance, in 2022 the Russian arms supplier Viktor Bout, often called the Service provider of Demise, was exchanged with the basketball participant Brittney Griner.

After the demise of Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny, his group mentioned he had been a candidate for a prisoner change. The Russian opposition chief could be traded concurrently two People held in Russia for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian undercover agent convicted in Germany of homicide.

The names of the 2 People had been modified on the time which was not talked about, however along with Gershkovich, it will be the American soldier Paul Whelan. He was convicted in 2020 as much as 16 years in jail for betrayal. Each Whelan and Krasikov stay in custody.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov mentioned in the present day that there have been discussions about Gershkovich being concerned in one other doable prisoner change, however nothing will probably be launched about this. So it’s unknown if that change is definitely within the works.

Gershkovich, the son of Soviet Jewish immigrants and raised in New Jersey, speaks fluent Russian and moved to Moscow in late 2017 to affix the English-language Moscow Instances. He then labored for the French information company AFP earlier than becoming a member of the Wall Road Journal in 2022.

Gershkovich has pleaded a number of instances, standing within the glass cages used for suspects in Russian courts. All claims had been rejected.