Jewish groups and international leaders condemned the Friday sentencing of the 32-year-old American-Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the alleged crime of espionage.
Judge Andrei Mineyev said that the time Gershkovich had already served since his arrest nearly 16 months ago would count towards the 16-year sentence. Mineyev ordered the destruction of the reporter’s mobile phone and paper notebook. The defense was given 15 days to appeal.
“This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, and prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist,” the WSJ said in a statement.“We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evan’s release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he’s released. This must end now,” it underlined. Fellow writers at the WSJ have begun to shave their heads in solidarity with Gershkovich, as some of his colleagues shared on X.Today, Dow Jones CEO and Wall Street Journal Publisher Almar Latour and Wall Street Journal Editor in Chief Emma Tucker released the below statement on @WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich. Statement here: https://t.co/RNR1yj4TZO#IStandWithEvan pic.twitter.com/69aDXhwOxb
— WSJ Communications (@WSJPR) July 19, 2024
Fellow writers at WSJ have begun to shave their heads in solidarity with Gershkovich, some of his colleagues shared on X.
My colleague Evan Gershkovich was back in court today for his sham trial on bogus espionage charges. His head has been shaved in compliance with Russian prison rules. With a growing number of my WSJ colleagues, I have shaved my head in solidarity. #IStandWithEvan pic.twitter.com/lu4TiFwikK
— Alexander Osipovich (@aosipovich) July 18, 2024
The United States is pushing hard for his release, President Joe Biden said on Friday. “There is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime,” the president said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the sentencing, stating on X, “The sentencing of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russia’s utter contempt for media freedom. Journalism should not be a crime. Gershkovich must be released immediately.”
Jewish groups respond to the sentencing
The Jewish Federations of North America issued a statement condemning Gershkovich’s sentence as well.We “are appalled, but not surprised, at today’s ridiculous verdict against Evan Gershkovich after a sham secret trial held behind closed doors in Russia. Evan has been wrongfully detained for over a year, and we are outraged by Russia continuing his imprisonment under false espionage pretenses.“We thank the administration for working on this case and continue to urge Secretary of State Antony Blinken to do everything in his power to bring this innocent young man back safely to United States soil and home to his family and community.“Jewish Federations urge every citizen to call upon their respective members of Congress to push the White House administration to act swiftly to bring Evan home, where he belongs,” it said in the statement.