European governments and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) secretary general condemn the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and demand his release he. A senior Russian diplomat said the investigation into Gershkovich’s case was still ongoing, without saying when lawyers and U.S. diplomats would be allowed to visit him.
Gershkovich, 31, was arrested last Wednesday in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Russian authorities have accused him of espionage, which both the Journal and the Biden administration have denied. Gershkovich is currently being held in a Moscow prison run by the Federal Security Service (FSB).
“Journalism is not a crime,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a tweet. “Russia must release Evan Gershkovich immediately. His arrest is completely unacceptable. Journalists must not be manipulated by the Kremlin’s treacherous political maneuvers and wanton behavior.”
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States, which is leading the way in rescuing Gershkovic. We fully support the democratic principles that apply here.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he expected Gershkovic’s detention to be discussed at this week’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.
“His arrest has drawn a lot of attention,” Stoltenberg said. “It’s important to respect the freedom of the press, the rights of journalists, and the right of journalists to ask questions and perform their duties.”
The European Union condemned Russia’s detention of Gershkovich and urged Russian authorities to focus on his eventual release.
“This is unacceptable,” said Peter Stano, spokesman for the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm. carry out their duties without intimidation and threats from the authorities.”
Monday was the first working day of Russia’s month-long presidency of the UN Security Council. European members of the Security Council are considering condemning Moscow’s imprisonment of Gershkovich and the invasion of Ukraine through the Security Council.
“It’s like an April Fool’s joke,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Monday of Russia’s leadership at the Security Council, a body dedicated to the pursuit of world peace. “We expect them to act professionally,” she said. “But we also expect them to use their position on the Security Council to spread disinformation and promote their own agenda on issues related to Ukraine.”
Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s U.N. representative, declined to discuss Gershkovich’s case in detail, referring to what he said was a separation of powers in Russia’s judicial system at a U.N. news conference.
“I’m not an investigative agency,” he said, saying U.S. diplomats would be allowed access to the imprisoned journalist, “but at what stage and when, I don’t know. That’s for the Russian government to decide.” Decide.”
A Russian prisoner monitoring group said on Monday that it had visited Gershkovic in Lefortovo prison. The group’s claims could not be independently verified.
The United States has made a direct request to Russia for Gershkovich’s release. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday, urging Gershkovich’s immediate release.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said Monday that the State Department was in the process of finding Gershkovic in wrongful detention. If the designation is achieved, the U.S. government will work to secure Gershkovich’s release and the State Department will be able to expand its authority to pressure Russia, conduct intelligence monitoring, build diplomatic alliances, exert media pressure and secure regular consular visits .
Kirby told reporters: “We are currently following this matter closely with an urgent and firm attitude and are doing our best to ensure his release.” Kirby said: “From the moment he was detained by the Russians on ridiculous charges, we There’s been a lot of pressure and that’s not going to change under any circumstances.”
James Jeffrey, a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and Turkey and special envoy to Syria, said confronting Russia during its presidency of the U.N. Security Council was unlikely to succeed, in part because of President Vladimir Putin’s indifference to humiliation. Instead, the U.S. would have to find a way to negotiate directly with the Russians, or find an intermediary to represent the U.S., he said.
“The Security Council can’t take any legally binding action without a vote, and Russia can veto it. That’s it,” Jeffrey said. “They have to sit down and talk to Putin.”
A dozen or so protesters gathered outside the Russian consulate in Manhattan on Monday, chanting “Free Evan Gershkovich” whenever a staff member opened the door to greet visitors.
“I thought I’d express my disapproval of this hoax,” said Len Lubinsky, an 81-year-old retired school superintendent who lives in Manhattan.
Some protesters mentioned that Gershkovich was arrested a few days before Passover; Gershkovich is Jewish, and Passover is a Jewish holiday.
Rabbi Yosie Levine, who lives in New York, said: “My heart goes out to his parents. It’s so heartbreaking.”
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