PMC Members Report No Complaints from Arrested WSJ Journalist Evan Hershkowitz

Alexei Melnikov, member of the Human Rights Council, and Georgy Volkov, chairman of the Public Monitoring Commission (POC), visited Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), who was arrested in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. Mr. Melnikov said that there were no complaints from the journalist about the conditions of detention.

Evan Gershkovich is in a quarantine cell while all the tests for the presence of diseases are taken. “The cell has a TV (20 digital channels), a radio station, and a refrigerator. The air temperature is normal. If necessary, a citizen can ventilate the chamber at any time on their own,” Alexey Melnikov wrote in his Telegram channel.

Communication with the journalist, according to a member of the PMC, was limited to explaining to him the internal regulations of the pre-trial detention center, the laws on detention. He was also taught how to write letters. “At the time of the visit, he was cheerful, during the conversation they joked a lot,” Mr. Melnikov added.

Evan Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg on March 29. According to the FSB, the journalist “on the instructions of the United States was collecting information about one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex, which constitute a state secret.” A criminal case was opened against a WSJ employee under Art. 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Espionage”), which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years. He is under arrest until May 29. Defense of Evan Gershkovich sent appeal against his arrest.

The WSJ called the espionage allegations of their employee unfounded and called for his release. On March 30, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced attempts by the US authorities to gain consular access to the journalist. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation assured that access is provided. However, today, April 3, at the White House declaredthat consular access “has not yet been achieved”.

Read more about Evan Gershkovich – in the material “Kommersant” “An American who traveled a lot in Russia”.

Lusine Balasyan