(Moscow) Journalist Evan Gershkovich, imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, is “in good health”, US Ambassador Lynne Tracy announced on Monday after being able to visit him in his detention center for the first time.
“I visited Evan Gershkovich from wall street journal in Lefortovo prison. This is the first time we have been allowed to see him since his unjustified detention more than two weeks ago,” she said, quoted on her embassy’s Twitter account.
“He is in good health and remains strong,” she added, calling once again for the release of the American journalist, on the eve of the appeal hearing on his pre-trial detention.
PHOTO ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Ambassador to Moscow Lynne Tracy
Evan Gershkovich, Moscow correspondent of the wall street journalwho also worked for AFP, was arrested by Russian security services on March 30 while on assignment in Yekaterinburg in the Urals.
The authorities accused him in particular of having collected information on the defense industry. The whole file is classified secret.
The person concerned, his newspaper, his relatives and the American government have categorically rejected the Russian espionage charges, punishable by 20 years in prison.
Russia’s arrest of a foreign journalist on such serious charges is the first since Soviet times.
Many observers believe that he could serve in Moscow as part of a possible future exchange of prisoners with Washington.
The date for the start of Mr. Gershkovich’s trial has not yet been announced.