(Moscow) American journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia last week, was formally charged with “espionage” on Friday, a charge he denies, Russian news agencies reported.
According to Interfax, Mr. Gershkovich, correspondent for the wall street journal who also worked for AFP in the past, is being prosecuted on the basis of article 276 of the Russian criminal code, a charge punishable by 20 years in prison.
Tass reported that the journalist “categorically” denied the charges against him.
At the same time, the Democratic and Republican leaders of the US Senate on Friday urged the “immediate” release of the journalist.
“We strongly condemn the arbitrary detention of this American citizen and report to the wall street journal wrote Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Mitch McConnell in a rare joint statement.
The two tenors of Congress demanded the “immediate release of this independent journalist, respected throughout the world”.
THE wall street journal and the reporter, respected by his colleagues for his thoroughness, deny the accusations made against him. US President Joe Biden has called for his release.
His arrest, the first of a foreign journalist on such serious charges since the USSR, comes in the context of increased repression in Russia against the press since the offensive against Ukraine, which has greatly strained relations between Moscow and Washington.