Ryabkov discussed with the US Ambassador the issue of detention of a WSJ journalist

On April 6, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Ryabkov discussed with US Ambassador to Moscow Lynn Tracy the issue of the detention in Russia of the American journalist of The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, informed Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country. The meeting was organized at the request of the American ambassador.

“During the discussion of the issue raised by L. Tracy about the detention in Russia of an American citizen E. Gershkovich, the attention of the head of the diplomatic mission was drawn to the serious nature of the charges against him. It is emphasized that he was caught red-handed while trying to obtain secret information, using his journalistic status as a cover for illegal actions, qualifying as espionage. It was also noted that the hype around this case, inflated in the United States, with the aim of putting pressure on the Russian authorities and the court, which should decide the fate of E. Gershkovich, is hopeless and meaningless,” the statement of the diplomatic department says.

The Russian Foreign Ministry added that the issue of access to Gershkovich by representatives of the American embassy is being decided taking into account existing consular practice and Russian legislation. The ministry also clarified that “other problematic issues” in relations between Russia and the United States were touched upon during this meeting.

April 3 reportedthat the Lefortovo Court of Moscow received an appeal against the detention of a WSJ correspondent accused of espionage. Today, April 6, became knownthat the Moscow City Court will consider Gershkovich’s complaint on April 18. On March 30, the journalist was sent to a pre-trial detention center until May 29, 2023. The FSB investigation incriminates him with a crime under Art. 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (espionage). If the guilt of the WSJ correspondent is proven in court, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg on March 30. According to the intelligence service, the journalist collected secret information “about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex.” On the same day, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, commenting on this incident, saidthat the WSJ journalist was “caught red-handed”.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova statedthat Gershkovich’s activities in Yekaterinburg have nothing to do with journalism. According to her, this is not the first time that the status of a “foreign correspondent”, a journalistic visa and accreditation are used by foreigners in Russia to cover up activities that are not journalism. How noted Zakharov on March 31, the US reaction to the arrest of the WSJ journalist was self-exposure.

The WSJ denied the FSB accusations and demanded the immediate release of Gershkovich. The newspaper clarified that the journalist works in the Moscow bureau of the WSJ and covers events in Russia. On March 31, the WSJ called for the expulsion of all Russian journalists working in the US, as well as the Russian ambassador to the US. On this Peskov declaredthat Washington has no reason to expel them.