Judge Rejects US Reporter Evan Gershkovich Appeal Against Pre-Trial Detention

A Russian court rejects Evan Gershkovich's legal team's plea to release him
Gershkovichh was detained and accused of espionage
Gershkovich will be held in jail until at least May 29

Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia on espionage charges, appealed his innocence in a Moscow courtroom on Tuesday after smiling from a glass defendant's cage.

Gershkovich's first public appearance since his arrest last month, signaling a new phase in President Vladimir Putin's struggle with the West. As predicted, the judge dismissed Gershkovich's request to lift his pre-trial detention, keeping him in a Russian prison.

Russian Court Rejects Evan Gershkovich Appeal

He was returned to Moscow's Lefortovo jail, one of Russia's most notorious detention facilities, where convicts are isolated with very infrequent visits from attorneys. The session was confidential, but one of Gershkovich's attorneys, Maria Korchagina, told reporters he was ready to "claim his right to free journalism" and "defend himself."

Journalists were permitted inside the courtroom earlier on Tuesday when Evan Gershkovich stood behind a pane of glass, flanked by two masked officers in dark plainclothes to his right. On his wrists were red handcuff markings. Per NY Times, Gershkovich, dressed in jeans and a checkered shirt, blinked and nodded when a Russian reporter said, "Evan, hang on!"

Gershkovich, a 31-year-old American, was seen clearly for the first time since he was held on March 29 while on a reporting trip in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg and accused of espionage, an allegation his employer, the US, and press freedom groups strenuously deny.

Russia Claims Evan Gershkovich Collected Confidential Information

The court turned down his legal team's plea to release him on $614,000 bail or place him under home arrest. Gershkovich will be in a disused KGB jail until at least May 29. Lynne Tracy, the US ambassador to Moscow, was also present in the courtroom with his counsel. On Monday, Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza was convicted of treason and sentenced to jail in this court.

According to BBC, Tracy stated outside the court following the hearing that she was granted contact with Gershkovich for the first time on Monday and that he was in "excellent health and stays strong despite the circumstances."

On Monday, more than 40 nations, led by the United States, issued a joint statement at the United Nations demanding Gershkovich's release and criticizing Moscow for intimidating the media.

According to Russia, Gershkovich attempted to gather confidential defense information for the US administration. Gershkovich rejects all charges. His detention is the first time since the Soviet period that Russia has charged a US journalist with espionage.

Since dismissing the allegations against Gershkovich, the Journal has often advocated for his release. The Journal's editor-in-chief, Emma Tucker, and publisher, Almar Latour, said they expected the judge to reject the pretrial detention appeal, but it was "regrettable."

The Biden administration feels Gershkovich was wrongfully detained and rejects the claims against him, The Hill reported. The arrest of Gershkovich was the most recent escalation of substantial tensions between the United States and Russia during the Ukraine crisis.

During the crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin has cracked down on dissent, with a Russian court condemning activist Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison this week.