[MSN] The State Department on Monday officially determined that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been "wrongfully detained" by Russia; allowing the US greater authority to pressure the Kremlin to free the journalist.
| Because the Kremlin will definitely give extra weight to a US State Department Determination about anything. Guys, may I suggest y’all never try to become professional poker players? |
The move means the State Department's Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs will take over Gershkovich's case and will have greater ability to monitor intelligence and push for regular consular access. ...
Russia’s Federal Security Service claimed it caught the reporter "red-handed" but has not released any evidence to justify his arrest. The Biden administration called the spy accusation "ridiculous" and noted that the journalist never worked for the US government.
Gershkovich — who is accredited by Russia’s Foreign Ministry to work as a journalist there — is behind bars at Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo jail, a pretrial detention center run by the Federal Security Service. He is reportedly in good health and grateful for the outpouring of support from the US and countries across the world, according to Journal lawyers representing him. |
