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US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy (59) said she was able to visit imprisoned journalist Evan Gershkovich (32) in prison for the first time. The US Embassy Tracy tweeted on Monday that a Wall Street Journal reporter was “healthy and strong”. It’s the first time since Gershkovich was “illegally arrested more than two weeks ago” that we “have been granted access to him”, it said.
Gershkovich, a US citizen and former AFP reporter, was arrested on espionage charges during a news operation in Yekaterinburg on March 30. If found guilty, he will face up to 20 years in prison. He is expected to appeal his detention on Tuesday.
Moscow accuses Gershkovich of trying to obtain classified information about Russia’s defense industry for the US government. The journalist and the US representative denies the allegations.
This is the first time a foreign journalist has been arrested in Russia on such serious charges since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many observers assume that it intends to serve as a bargaining chip for Moscow in a possible future prisoner swap with Washington. The date when Gershkovich’s trial will begin has yet to be announced. (AFP)
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
