The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich is the first American journalist to be arrested for espionage in Russia since the Cold War, the news agency writes Reuters.
Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg.
On Friday, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison, reports the news agency AP.
The 32-year-old, the US State Department and his employer have denied all charges and Gershkovich has pleaded not guilty to any crime during the trial, AP writes.
On July 19, the closing arguments in the case were held. The legal process has been held behind closed doors and is described as unusually fast. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that a prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States is being discussed.
In Russia, the legal process is usually completed before a prisoner exchange can be considered.
The US State Department believes that Evan Gershkovich is imprisoned on false grounds.
Since the verdict was handed down, Wall Street Journals editor-in-chief and responsible publisher condemned what they call “a shameful sham trial”.
“Journalism is not a crime, we will not rest until he is released,” write Emma Tucker and Almar Tatour.
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Evan Gershkovich: the first American journalist to be arrested for espionage in Russia since the Cold War. Photo: AFP/AP