Journalists’ trial begins in Russia | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Ekaterinburg, Russia – Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was tried in private in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday, 15 months after his arrest in the Russian city on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny.

The 32-year-old journalist appeared in court in a glass cage in front of the defendants, his head shaved and wearing a black and blue checked shirt. A yellow padlock locked the cage.

Authorities arrested Gershkovich on March 29, 2023, while he was on a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg, in the Ural Mountains, claiming without providing any evidence that he was collecting classified information for the US.

Russia has flagged the possibility of a prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, but says a verdict must be reached first – which could take months. Even after a ruling, it can still take months or years.

Journalists were allowed into the courtroom for a few minutes on Wednesday before the proceedings concluded. According to the embassy, ​​two consular officers from the US embassy in Moscow were also briefly admitted. The White House said officials were unable to speak to Gershkovich.

The hearing ended after about two hours and the next one was scheduled for Aug. 13, court officials said.

“Today our colleague Evan Gershkovich faced the Russian regime’s shameful and unlawful proceedings against him,” said Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of the Journal, and Emma Tucker, its editor-in-chief.

“It is shocking to see him once again in a courtroom for a sham trial held in secret and based on trumped-up charges,” the statement said. “While we are told he is doing well under the circumstances, Evan’s unlawful detention remains a devastating attack on his freedom and his work and an unfathomable attack on the free press.”

They noted that he has already spent 455 days behind bars.

A top White House spokesperson called the proceedings “nothing more than a sham trial.”

“Evan was never employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. “Russia has failed to justify Evan’s continued detention. He, like his compatriot Paul Whelan, is simply being used as a bargaining chip.”

Gershkovich, the American-born son of immigrants from the USSR, is the first Western journalist arrested in post-Soviet Russia on espionage charges. The State Department has declared him “wrongfully detained,” committing the government to assertively pursue his release.

The Journal has worked to keep the issue in the public eye and it has become an issue in the months leading up to the US presidential election.

After his arrest, Gershkovich was held in Moscow’s notoriously bleak Lefortovo prison. He appeared sane during court hearings where his requests for release were rejected.

“Evan has shown remarkable resilience and strength in the face of this grim situation,” U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy said on the first anniversary of his arrest.

Gershkovich faces a prison sentence of 20 years if the court finds him guilty, which is almost certain. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants who appear before them, and prosecutors can appeal sentences they consider too lenient, and even appeal acquittals.

Asked about the trial Wednesday during a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from commenting, saying only “it is necessary to wait for the verdict.”

A verdict in Gershkovich’s case could take months, as Russian trials are often postponed for weeks. The outlook after the verdict is mixed.

Information for this article came from Lynn Berry and Dasha Litvinova of The Associated Press.