Daily TribuneWestern leaders call for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich after a Russian court sentenced him to 16 years for espionage.
US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, stands inside a glass defendants' cage during the verdict announcement at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg on July 19, 2024.
Alexander NEMENOV / AFP
International condemnation has followed the 16-year prison sentence handed to US journalist Evan Gershkovich by a Russian court. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer branded the sentence "despicable," demanding Gershkovich’s immediate release. "Journalism should not be a crime," Starmer stated, emphasizing Russia's contempt for media freedom.
France joined the outcry on Saturday, with the French Foreign Ministry calling the conviction "appalling." Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine demanded the release of Gershkovich and all political prisoners, both Russian and foreign, highlighting Russia's increasing authoritarianism. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal correspondent, is the first journalist charged with spying in Russia since the Cold War. The Kremlin has provided no public evidence for its espionage claims, insisting he was caught "red-handed" while working for the CIA.
US President Joe Biden described the charges as fabricated, asserting that Gershkovich was targeted for being a journalist and an American. Biden vowed to continue efforts for Gershkovich’s release, while discussions of a potential prisoner swap remain ongoing. Despite the lack of concrete details, Gershkovich's conviction could pave the way for future negotiations.
Western leaders, including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and the United Nations, have expressed serious concerns, urging Russia to release Gershkovich. The conviction underscores the dangers faced by journalists in Russia and the escalating tensions between Moscow and the West amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
By Kieran Canning, Agence France-Presse
