Evan Gershkovich appeared this Tuesday, April 18 in a Moscow court. The judge ordered his continued detention until trial. It was the American journalist’s first public appearance in this very popular affair in the United States.
” Be strong Evan a colleague told him in Russian. Standing in his glass cage, wearing a blue plaid shirt, Evan Gershkovich nods. These first images seem to confirm that he is in good health despite his incarceration in a prison renowned for its difficult detention conditions. He seems as combative as his supporters.
For the past few days, the journalist has enjoyed the status “ wrongfully detained awarded by the Biden administration. This means that his case benefits from a specific follow-up, translates our correspondent in Washington, Guillaume Naudin. Everything usually happens in a certain discretion which this time is not appropriate. The White House and the State Department denounce his arrest as an attempt to intimidate the press in Russia.
Support Badge
Above all, the supporters of Evan Gershkovich have no intention of keeping quiet. Many are speaking out on social media. THE wall street journal offers a daily follow-up of the case and published the testimony of his parents and the two-page letter that the journalist was able to pass through his lawyers. Finally, all attendees of the upcoming White House Correspondents’ Dinner in late April are asked to wear a support badge. Among the guests, a certain Joe Biden.
We’re offering resources for people who want to show their support across social media for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia on March 29 during a reporting trip and remains in prison #IStandWithEvan https://t.co/aEpxgn5Vw4
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) April 12, 2023
The American ambassador to Moscow Lynne Tracy, present in court on Tuesday, had been able to visit him the day before for the first time since the beginning of his imprisonment. ” He is in good health and in good spirits despite the circumstances. “, had declared Ms. Tracy on Twitter after the meeting.
Money change
The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, again demanded on Monday the “ immediate release from the reporter, known for his rigor and his love of Russia. ” I don’t lose hope “, had written Evan Gershkovich in a letter addressed to his parents, of his prison, and published last week by his employer.
Since the launch of the Russian offensive against Ukraine last year, the Russian authorities have stepped up repression in Russia against opponents, but also the media. Although political opponents have been targeted for several years, the arrest of the American journalist has caused shock waves, as no Western journalist has been arrested and accused of espionage in Russia for decades.
Many observers believe that he could serve in Moscow as part of a possible future exchange of prisoners with Washington. In December 2022, American basketball star Brittney Griner, who was in Russian custody, was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was detained in the United States. The date for the start of Mr. Gershkovich’s trial has not yet been announced.
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(And with AFP)