On April 7, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was formally charged with espionage following his arrest on March 30 by the Russian Federal Security Service. Appearing in a closed hearing due to the “top secret” nature of the case, the Russian state accused Gershkovich of acting on behalf of the United States to obtain classified information on the Russian military-industrial complex. If found guilty, Gershkovich could spend up to 20 years in a penal colony.
Following the hearing, Gershkovich filed a formal denial of the accusations, stating his work is purely journalistic. The Wall Street Journal also issued a statement denying the charges. White House and State Department officials confirmed they are in touch with relevant parties, including Russian government officials and Gershkovich’s family, to establish a path forward for his release.
In a rare display of bipartisan support, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released a joint statement declaring “journalism is not a crime” and commended Gershkovich for his commitment to independent journalism.
The statement was released as the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Lynne T. Tracy, met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov to discuss the situation. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the charges “serious in nature” and stated they are not ready to discuss a prisoner swap yet.
This most recent arrest follows other high-profile detentions of U.S. citizens in Russia. Most notably, WNBA star Britney Griner was exchanged in December 2022 for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Paul Whelan, a former marine, was arrested and convicted on spying charges in 2020 and remains in prison.
On Monday, April 10, the U.S. State Department classified Gershkovich as “wrongly detained” under the 2020 Robert Levinson Act. The designation, also received by Whelan and Griner during her detention, gives the hostage affairs office domain over the case, potentially making a prisoner swap more likely. However, like Whelan, Gershkovich is accused of espionage, which some predict will give Russia cause to demand the release of a Soviet spy, complicating any proposed exchange.
Originally from New Jersey, Gershkovich moved to Russia in 2017 for a job with the Moscow Times, an independent and English-Speaking outlet in Russia. He later joined the Wall Street Journal in January 2022 with an assignment focused on Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet countries.
Gershkovich appears next in court on April 18 where he faces the possibility of release with bail, house arrest, or continued detention in his current Moscow prison facility. The Russian legal system, different from the U.S., does not formally begin an investigation until the filing of charges and accused response for a criminal case.
While his espionage trial is scheduled for May 29, Gershkovich is likely faced with an insensitive and secretive judicial proceeding.
The arrest of Gershkovich follows continued crackdowns in Russia against freedom of speech, particularly regarding coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Putin’s government passed a law deeming any critical coverage of the “special operation” punishable by 15 years in jail.
While intended to halt critical media pushed out by independent Russian sources, Gershkovich’s arrest indicates Putin is more willing to jail any journalist, particularly as Russian military forces continue to face pushback from Ukrainian forces in the east.
