Evan Gershkovich’s trial has been called completely biased by his employer Wall Street Journal but also by the NGO Reporters Without Borders which describes it as ” hostage-taking ” the journalist’s conviction. In fact, the Russian authorities have not hidden their intention to use the journalist as a bargaining chip. This is now the only hope of seeing the reporter free again.
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Evan Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison. The journalist American is accused of espionage by the RussiaAt 32, he will have to serve his sentence in a strict penal colony. This very harsh sentence was handed down during a summary trial, even for a Russian judicial system that is used to moving quickly.
Although several months of hearings were expected, the trial was ultimately concluded in just a few weeks. Open at the end of Juneit concluded this Friday, July 19, with the pleadings of the defense, that of the prosecution and with the reading of the verdict.
Why such a rush? According to some observers, the Russian authorities have decided to speed up on this issue to lead more quickly to a prisoner exchange. In fact, Russia only exchanges its prisoners once they have been sentenced and Moscow has not hidden its intention to use Evan Gershkovich in negotiations with the United States. Vladimir Putin even suggested that the American journalist could be exchanged for Vadim Krasikova Russian national imprisoned in Germany for the murder of a Chechen opponent.
Washington also accuses Russia of deliberately imprisoning its nationals in order to then use them as bargaining chips, as was the case with basketball player Brittney Griner, exchanged at the end of 2022 for arms dealer Vitkor Bout.
We have a journalist who has been detained for sixteen months and we learn that he is serving sixteen years in prison for espionage. This is completely ridiculous in terms of the charges. The trial itself raises a lot of questions. That is to say, three days of hearings behind closed doors 2,000 kilometers from Moscow with an empty file does not make for a dignified and fair trial.
“It is above all a diplomatic game,” says Thibaut Bruttin, director of RSF.
Read alsoRussia Sentences American Journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 Years in Prison for ‘Espionage’