The United States has assured Thursday that it is in contact with Russian authorities to provide consular assistance to journalist Evan Gershkovich, who works for the U.S. newspaper ‘The Wall Street Journal’, and who has been detained in Russia for alleged espionage activities that have already been denied by the media.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the Biden Administration »has been in contact» with the family of the detained journalist. »In addition, the State Department has been in direct contact with the Russian government on this matter, including actively working to secure consular access to Gershkovich,» she said.
Jean-Pierre has noted that it is »unacceptable» for the Russian government »to target U.S. citizens.» »We condemn the Russian government’s continued attacks and repression against journalists and press freedom,» he argued.
He also took the opportunity to recall the warning against travel to Russia. U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should leave immediately, as the State Department continues to advise,» he said.
For his part, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated in another statement that »whenever a U.S. citizen is detained abroad,» Washington »immediately» seeks to provide »consular access and all necessary support» to the person concerned.
Likewise, the US Secretary of State has pointed out that Washington condemns »in the strongest possible terms» the »continued attempts by the Kremlin to intimidate, repress and punish journalists and civil society voices,» CNN has reported.
After learning of his arrest, the American newspaper, in addition to denying the accusations made by Moscow, has shown its solidarity with the reporter, who has become the first journalist from a U.S. newspaper to be arrested on charges of espionage in Russia since the Cold War.
Gershkovich previously worked for the French news agency AFP and the Russian newspaper ‘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)
