A Russian Court Extends the Pretrial Detention of Journalist Evan Gershkovich

The pretrial detention of Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Avenue Journal who has been held in Russia since March, has been prolonged by three months, based on a Moscow court docket.

Mr. Gershkovich has been detained in Moscow’s Lefortovo jail on espionage prices that he, the U.S. authorities and The Wall Avenue Journal have vehemently denied. The US has stated he has been wrongfully detained.

In secret and quick proceedings that have been closed to the press on Thursday, Moscow’s Lefortovo court docket dominated that Mr. Gershkovich’s pretrial detention, which was beforehand prolonged from Might 29 to Aug. 30, would once more be prolonged till Nov. 30.

The arrest of Mr. Gershkovich marked the primary time because the finish of the Chilly Warfare that an American journalist had been detained on accusations of spying in Russia. He may face a sentence of so long as 20 years in a penal colony. On the time he was detained by the Federal Safety Service, or F.S.B., Mr. Gershkovich was on a reporting journey in Yekaterinburg and had accreditation from Russia’s international ministry.

Earlier this month, Lynne M. Tracy, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, visited Mr. Gershkovich for the third time. The State Division reported afterward that Mr. Gershkovich “continues to look in good well being and stays robust, regardless of his circumstances.” American officers have stated that they’ve been blocked from having common consular entry to Mr. Gershkovich.

In April, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken stated that Mr. Gershkovich had been wrongfully detained, a designation that basically signifies that the U.S. authorities considers him a political hostage.

The Kremlin has acknowledged a number of occasions that Russia may very well be open to a prisoner swap for Mr. Gershkovich.