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WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich Faces 18-Year Sentence in Yekaterinburg Espionage Trial

Jul 18, 2024, 01:20 PM

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Russian court in Yekaterinburg on Thursday for the second hearing in his espionage trial. The trial, which is being held behind closed doors, has been denounced as a sham by his employer and the U.S. government. Gershkovich, who was detained by Russian authorities on March 29, 2023, in the Ural Mountains, denies the charges against him. Russian prosecutors are seeking an 18-year prison sentence in a high-security penal colony for the journalist. The trial has moved quickly, with closing arguments scheduled for Friday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Russia has 'irrefutable evidence' of Gershkovich's guilt, a statement that has been widely criticized by international observers.