American journalist jailed for 16 years in Russia after being convicted of espionage

19 July 2024, 13:49 | Updated: 19 July 2024, 15:12

An American journalist has been jailed for 16 years in Russia after being convicted of espionage.

Evan Gershkovich, who writes for the Wall Street Journal, was arrested and detained in March last year during a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains.

He has always protested his innocence.

Russia claimed the 32-year-old had been "gathering secret information" on orders from the CIA.

Mr Gershkovich said the charges against him were false and his employer called the case a sham.

The move has been widely condemned - including by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

His sentencing marks the first conviction of a US journalist for espionage in Russia since the Cold War ended more than 30 years ago.

Gershkovich's employer and US officials have dismissed those charges as fabricated and denounced the trial as illegitimate and a sham.

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"Evan has never been 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 spokesperson John Kirby said last month.

The trial began June 26 in Yekaterinburg after he spent about 15 months in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo Prison.

'Despicable'

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described the sentencing as "despicable" and called for his release.

In a tweet, he said: "The sentencing of @WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russia’s utter contempt for media freedom.

"Journalism should not be a crime.

"Gershkovich must be released immediately."

The Wall Street Journal have released a statement following the sentencing.

“This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist.

"We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evan’s release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he’s released.

"This must end now.”

Statement from Dow Jones CEO and Wall Street Journal Publisher Almar Latour and Wall Street Journal Editor in Chief Emma Tucker.