(Washington) The wall street journal called for the expulsion of the Russian ambassador stationed in the United States following the arrest of one of its American journalists in Russia, suspected of espionage.
“Expelling the Russian ambassador from the United States, as well as the Russian journalists working there, would be the least we could do,” says the American international daily in an editorial published overnight from Thursday to Friday.
“The timing of the arrest looks like a calculated provocation to embarrass the United States and intimidate the foreign press still working in Russia,” he added.
“Regarding the demand for the expulsion of all Russian journalists, the newspaper [le WSJ] can say that, but that shouldn’t happen. There is simply no reason for that,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. He added that the American journalist “was caught red-handed [d’espionnage] and that therefore “the situation is clear”.
Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old Russian-speaking reporter recognized for his rigor, was arrested in Yekaterinburg, in the Urals, on suspicion of “espionage”, the Kremlin ensuring that he had been caught in “flagrante delicto”.
PHOTO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL VIA AP
Evan Gershkovich
He denied the charges against him during a hearing in a Moscow court, according to Russian state news agency Tass. The American journalist has nevertheless been placed in pre-trial detention until May 29, a measure which may be extended pending a possible trial.
According to Tass, the case has been classified as “secret”, which restricts the publication of information about it.
The only details available at this stage: the FSB announced that it had “thwarted an illegal activity” by arresting Evan Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg, on an unspecified date.
His arrest comes in a context of increased repression in Russia against the press since the offensive against Ukraine, which has greatly strained relations between Moscow and Washington.
The White House blasted an “unacceptable” arrest and spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre called the espionage charge “ridiculous”, while US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said ” extremely concerned”.
The European Union, through the voice of its head of diplomacy Josep Borrell “condemns” the detention of Evan Gershkovich by Russia, in a tweet which denounces Moscow’s “systematic contempt” for the freedom of the press.