On the one-year anniversary of the Russian detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, President Joe Biden said the U.S. is working every day to secure his release. “Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter — risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement Friday
Quick Read
- President Biden’s Statement: On the one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s detention in Russia, President Joe Biden emphasized that the U.S. is actively working to secure his release, asserting that “Journalism is not a crime.”
- Gershkovich’s Arrest: Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia, by the FSB, which accused him of collecting state secrets for the U.S. without providing evidence. Both Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal, and the U.S. government deny these allegations.
- Public Awareness Effort: The Wall Street Journal highlighted Gershkovich’s plight with a significant blank space on its front page, featuring an image of him and a headline emphasizing the absence of his story.
- Court Proceedings: Gershkovich’s detention has been extended multiple times, with the latest court order keeping him in custody until at least June 30. These court appearances offer limited opportunities for updates and contact.
- Biden’s Commitment: President Biden expressed unwavering resolve to secure Gershkovich’s release, denounce Russia’s use of Americans as bargaining chips, and uphold the freedom of the press.
- Broader Efforts: The statement also touched on the U.S. government’s broader efforts to free all Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, including Paul Whelan, another American accused of espionage in Russia.
The Associated Press has the story:
Biden says he’s working to secure release of WSJ reporter held for a year in Russia
Newslooks- NEW YORK (AP) —
On the one-year anniversary of the Russian detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, President Joe Biden said the U.S. is working every day to secure his release.
“Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter — risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine,” Biden said in a statement Friday.
Gershkovich was arrested while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. The Federal Security Service, or FSB, alleges he was acting on U.S. orders to collect state secrets but provided no evidence to support the accusation, which he, the Journal and the U.S. government deny. Washington designated him as wrongfully detained.
On Friday, there was a giant blank space on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, with an image at the top of the page of Gershkovich in the newspaper’s signature pencil drawing and a headline that read: “His Story Should be Here.”
A recent court hearing offered little new information on Gershkovich’s case. He was ordered to remain behind bars pending trial at least until June 30, the fifth extension of his detention.
But the periodic court hearings at least give Gershkovich’s family and friends and U.S. officials a glimpse of him. And for the 32-year-old journalist, it’s a break from his otherwise largely monotonous prison routine.
Biden said in the statement that he would never give up hope.
“We will continue working every day to secure his release,” the Democratic president said. “We will continue to denounce and impose costs for Russia’s appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips. And we will continue to stand strong against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists — the pillars of free society.”
Biden said that the U.S. was working to free all Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.
Another American accused of espionage is Paul Whelan, a corporate executive from Michigan. He was arrested in 2018 in Russia and sentenced two years later to 16 years in prison. Whelan, who said he traveled to Moscow to attend a friend’s wedding, has maintained his innocence and said the charges against him were fabricated.
