The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has condemned the arrest of the American journalist Evan Gershkovich by the Russian authorities, whom he reproached for their »systematic disregard for freedom of the press».
Journalists must be able to exercise their profession freely and deserve protection. The Russian authorities once again demonstrate their systematic contempt for press freedom,» said the head of European diplomacy on his official Twitter profile.
Russian authorities have arrested Gershkovich, who works for the American newspaper ‘The Wall Street Journal’, this Thursday in the city of Yekaterinburg for alleged espionage activities, an accusation justified by the Russian government but denied »categorically» by the American newspaper.
A Moscow court has later ordered him to remain in pre-trial detention until at least May 29, in a first appearance in which the espionage charge advanced by the Federal Security Service (FBS) has been confirmed and for which Gershkovich could face a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The journalist had reportedly been gathering information about the Wagner Group, owned by oligarch Yevgeni Prigozhin, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and who has sent mercenaries to Ukraine. Gershkovich’s last article published by ‘The Wall Street Journal’ dates from March 28 under the headline ‘Russia’s economy is starting to crumble’.
Gershkovich previously worked for the French news agency AFP and the Russian daily ‘The Moscow Times’. He has also published in ‘The New York Times’, ‘The Economist’, ‘MIT Technology Review’, ‘Foreign Policy’ and Politico Europe, among other media, according to his website.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
