YEKATERINBURG, Russia: The closed-door trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich began in Yekaterinburg on June 26 after his arrest in the city on espionage charges.
Gershkovich was arrested 15 months back, and he, his employer, and the U.S. government have vehemently denied the charges.
Head shaved and wearing a black-and-blue plaid shirt, the 32-year-old Gershkovich appeared in a glass defendants’ cage with a yellow padlock in the court.
Gershkovich was arrested on March 29, 2023, during a reporting assignment to Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. The authorities claimed he was gathering secret information for the U.S. but could not support their claims with evidence.
The verdict could take months, maybe years, even as Russia hinted at the possibility of a prisoner swap, but only after the verdict. But even that could take months or years.
Before the proceedings were closed, journalists were allowed into the courtroom for a few minutes. Two consular officers from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow were also allowed in, but the White House said the officials could not speak with Gershkovich.
Court officials said the hearing ended in about two hours, and the next one was scheduled for August 13.
Almar Latour, Dow Jones CEO and publisher of the Journal, and Emma Tucker, its top editor, noted that Gershkovich had already spent 455 days behind bars.
The Journal has worked to keep the case in the public eye, and it has become an issue in the months leading up to the U.S. presidential election.
Gershkovich was held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison after his arrest.
Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. The conviction rate in the Russian courts is more than 99 percent, and prosecutors can appeal sentences and even acquittals that they regard as too lenient.
In Russia, high crimes such as espionage and treason are broadly interpreted. This often includes accusations of divulging state secrets against people who share publicly available information with foreigners.
