11 months ago
24
YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) — A Russian tribunal connected Friday convicted Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich connected espionage charges his leader and the U.S. person rejected arsenic a sham. He was sentenced to 16 years successful situation aft a secretive and accelerated proceedings successful the country’s highly politicized ineligible system.
Gershkovich, his leader and the U.S. authorities vehemently denied the charges. U.S. officials and The Wall Street Journal person denounced the proceedings arsenic a sham.
Gershkovich, 32, was detained successful March 2023 portion connected a reporting travel to the Ural Mountains metropolis of Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the U.S., and has been down bars ever since.
He was the archetypal U.S. writer taken into custody connected espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff successful 1986, astatine the tallness of the Cold War. Gershkovich’s apprehension shocked overseas journalists successful Russia, adjacent though the state has enacted progressively repressive laws connected state of code aft sending troops into Ukraine.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier communicative follows below.
YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) — Russian prosecutors connected Friday sought a situation condemnation of 18 years for Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich arsenic his espionage proceedings came to an unusually swift conclusion, possibly clearing the mode for a swap betwixt Moscow and Washington.
Closing arguments took spot down closed doors astatine the trial, wherever Gershkovich did not admit immoderate guilt, according to the court's property service. The U.S. authorities and publishers of The Wall Street Journal person denounced the proceedings successful Russia's highly politicized ineligible strategy arsenic a sham.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, portion connected a reporting travel to the Ural Mountains metropolis of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering immoderate evidence, that helium was gathering concealed accusation for the U.S. — the archetypal American writer to beryllium accused of espionage since the Cold War.
Gershkovich was successful the Sverdlovsk Regional Court for a 2nd consecutive time Friday for the closed proceedings, wherever officials said prosecutors requested an 18-year condemnation successful a high-security prison. A verdict is expected aboriginal successful the day, according to tribunal officials.
Unlike the trial's opening connected June 26 successful Yekaterinburg and erstwhile hearings successful Moscow successful which reporters were allowed to spot Gershkovich concisely earlier sessions began, determination was nary entree to the courtroom this week and helium was not seen, with nary mentation given. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded successful secrecy.
Russian courts convict much than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors tin entreaty sentences that they respect arsenic excessively lenient. They adjacent tin entreaty acquittals.
“Evan’s wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust apprehension 477 days ago, and it indispensable extremity now,” the Journal said Thursday successful a statement. “Even arsenic Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we proceed to bash everything we tin to propulsion for Evan’s contiguous merchandise and to authorities unequivocally: Evan was doing his occupation arsenic a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him location now.”
The U.S. State Department has declared Gershkovich “wrongfully detained,” committing the authorities to assertively question his release.
Asked Friday astir a imaginable captive swap involving Gershkovich, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday astatine the United Nations that Moscow and Washington’s “special services” are discussing an speech involving Gershkovich. Russia has antecedently signaled the anticipation of a swap, but it says a verdict would person to travel first. Even aft a verdict, immoderate specified woody could instrumentality months oregon years.
State Department lawman spokesperson Vedant Patel connected Thursday declined to sermon negotiations astir a imaginable exchange, but said: “We person been wide from the get-go that Evan did thing incorrect and should not person been detained. To date, Russia has provided nary grounds of a transgression and has failed to warrant Evan’s continued detention.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this twelvemonth that helium would beryllium unfastened to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a beingness condemnation for the 2019 sidesplitting successful Berlin of a Georgian national of Chechen descent.
Gershkovich has spent astir 15 months successful Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s bureau said past period the writer is accused of “gathering concealed information” connected orders from the CIA astir Uralvagonzavod, a works astir 150 kilometers (90 miles) northbound of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and different subject equipment.
Lavrov connected Wednesday reaffirmed the Kremlin assertion that the authorities has “irrefutable evidence” against Gershkovich, though neither helium nor immoderate different Russian authoritative has ever disclosed it.
Gershkovich’s leader and U.S. officials person dismissed the charges arsenic bogus.
“Evan has ne'er been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should ne'er person been detained successful the archetypal place,” White House nationalist information spokesperson John Kirby said past month.
Russia’s mentation of what constitutes precocious crimes similar espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going aft radical who stock publically disposable accusation with foreigners and accusing them of divulging authorities secrets.
Earlier this month, U.N. quality rights experts said Russia violated planetary instrumentality by jailing Gershkovich and should merchandise him “immediately.”
Arrests of Americans are progressively communal successful Russia, with 9 U.S. citizens known to beryllium detained determination arsenic tensions betwixt the 2 countries person escalated implicit warring successful Ukraine.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of treating “human beings arsenic bargaining chips.” She singled retired Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, 53, a firm information manager from Michigan, who is serving a 16-year condemnation aft being convicted connected spying charges that helium and the U.S. denied.
