A Russian court convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on charges of espionage Friday, sentencing him to 16 years in a Russian prison colony in a trial the U.S. denounced as a sham.
Treason cases have been rare in Russia in the last 30 years, with a handful annually. But since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, they have skyrocketed, along with espionage prosecutions.
A court extended the detention of the Wall Street Journal reporter, arrested on espionage charges, until Jan. 30, Russian news agencies reported. Gershkovich and the Journal deny the allegations.
The Wall Street Journal reporter has been held in Russia since March. Thousands have written him letters for the Jewish new year, as the campaign for his release hones in on next week's U.N. meeting.
A Russian court extended the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich for another three months on Tuesday. The American journalist faces unsubstantiated charges of espionage.
During her first press conference since being detained in Russia, the Phoenix Mercury star told reporters the only thing that'd take her off U.S. soil is an invitation to compete in the Olympics.
The U.S. journalist is accused of espionage, a charge he and The Wall Street Journal deny. They and the U.S. government insist Evan Gershkovich is "wrongfully detained."
The family of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich received a handwritten letter from him on Friday — the first direct contact with them since his arrest in the end of March.
Reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained Wednesday on espionage charges. Griner was released from a Russian prison in December and has advocated for the release of Americans detained abroad.
Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, was on a reporting assignment in the Ural mountain city of Yekaterinburg when he was detained by agents from Russia's Federal Security Service.