Secretary of State Antony Blinken has officially labelled Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich “wrongfully detained by Russia.” Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, was arrested March 30 and charged with espionage by the Russian Federal Security Service, according to Russian state news agency TASS. Gershkovich has “categorically denied” the allegations. “Journalism is not a crime,” the State Department said in a Monday statement. “We condemn the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia, and its ongoing war against the truth.” The State Department said the U.S. government is providing support to Gershkovich and his family as the 31-year-old languishes in a Russian prison. “We call for the Russian Federation to immediately release Mr. Gershkovich,” the State Department said, adding a call on Russia to also release Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who has been in a Russian jail for four years. According to ABC News, the case now moves to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, known as the U.S. government’s “top hostage negotiator,” according to the outlet.
I made the determination that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained Evan Gershkovich. We call for his and Paul Whelan’s immediate release.
