Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Road Journal whom Russia accuses of espionage, appeared on Tuesday at a listening to in a Moscow court docket to attraction a ruling that had prolonged his pretrial detention.
He has been held in Russia since March. The ruling, in August, prolonged his detention by three months.
He has been detained in Moscow’s Lefortovo jail on espionage charges that he, the U.S. authorities and The Journal have vehemently denied. The USA has mentioned he’s wrongfully detained.
Lefortovo jail is notorious for the near-isolation and sometimes harsh situations imposed on its inmates. If convicted, Mr. Gershkovich would withstand 20 years in a Russian penal colony.
In pictures from the courtroom, Mr. Gershkovich appeared standing in a glass field, sporting a yellow sweatshirt and denims.
Mr. Gershkovich met on Friday with the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Lynne M. Tracy. His household has appealed to world leaders and the United Nations for assist securing his launch on expenses that it says are false.
A prisoner change, such because the one which secured the release of Brittney Griner, an American basketball star, late final yr, wouldn’t happen till after a verdict is reached within the case, Russian officers have mentioned. Ms. Griner was held for nearly 10 months on a hashish possession cost. The Biden administration is thought to be working to safe an early launch for Mr. Gershkovich.
