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Russian Court Sentences WSJ Reporter to 16 Years, RFE/RL Journalist to 6.5 Years

Jul 22, 2024, 06:01 PM

A Russian court has sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison on fabricated espionage charges following a trial widely condemned as a sham. Gershkovich was detained by the Russian FSB on March 29, 2023. His conviction on July 22, 2024, is seen as part of a broader crackdown on press freedom in Russia. On the same day, Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen and journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for spreading false information about the Russian military. Kurmasheva's trial was conducted in secret, and her conviction has been denounced as a mockery of justice. Both cases are viewed as indicative of increasing authoritarianism in Russia under President Vladimir Putin, with speculation that the Kremlin may use these journalists as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.