Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for The Wall Street Journal, has been sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony on espionage charges by the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg.
The closed trial concluded with the prosecution originally seeking an 18-year sentence.
The proceedings, which began in late June, were paused until 18 July for witness testimonies and evidence examination, which lasted only one day. Closing arguments were held on 19 July. The prosecutor declined to explain the trial’s brief duration when queried by reporters.
Gershkovich is the first American journalist accused of espionage in Russia since the Soviet era. According to the prosecution, Gershkovich was gathering classified information about the Uralvagonzavod factory, which manufactures and repairs military equipment, on behalf of the CIA. The journalist had been in pre-trial detention for 15 months and faced a potential sentence ranging from 10 to 20 years.
Gershkovich has consistently denied the charges, asserting that his activities in Russia were purely journalistic. The investigation did not publicly present any evidence of espionage, only claiming that the journalist was caught “red-handed” working for US intelligence.
The Wall Street Journal condemned the verdict as “shameful” and “fabricated.” The US administration had previously declared Gershkovich innocent, and the US State Department has designated him as “wrongfully detained.”
Sources within both Russian and American political circles suggested that Gershkovich might be held for a potential prisoner swap involving Russian nationals imprisoned in the US. The names of possible Russian candidates for exchange were not disclosed.
Both Moscow and Washington have expressed readiness to discuss a swap, but neither side has provided specifics regarding the timeline or conditions.
Gershkovich, born in New Jersey to parents from the former Soviet Union, has been working as a reporter in Russia since 2018. He remained in the country despite the imposition of severe military censorship following the outbreak of the war against Ukraine.
Other Americans detained in Russia include former Marine Paul Whelan, convicted on espionage charges, and Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty with dual Russian and American citizenship. Kurmasheva is accused of spreading so-called false information about the Russian military.
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