The American journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia, remains in pre-trial detention. He had appealed against his pre-trial detention, but that was rejected by a Moscow court on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old journalist of The Wall Street Journal was arrested at the end of March and is detained on suspicion of espionage. He could face up to twenty years in prison if convicted. Gershkovich and his employer deny that there was any spying, but according to the Kremlin, the American was caught in the act, although so far no evidence has been shared about this.
The hearing in the Moscow court was partly accessible to the media, who saw Gershkovich for the first time since the arrest. He was separated from the rest of the hall by glass walls. Footage shows him having crossed his arms and smiling.
The U.S. government maintains that Gershkovich is being wrongfully detained and has made his release a priority. He received a visit from Lynne Tracy, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, on Monday. She announced afterwards that the journalist feels good and keeps himself strong.
Gershkovich, whose parents left the Soviet Union for the US, has been writing about Russia for well over five years. He was engaged in an article about the attitude of the Russian population to recruitment attempts by the mercenary army of the Wagner Group, which is fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
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