Russia seeks an 18-year sentence for US reporter as his espionage trial concludes
Russian prosecutors are seeking an 18-year prison sentence for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as his espionage trial came to an unusually swift conclusion, perhaps clearing the way for a swap between Moscow and Washington
YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) — Russian prosecutors on Friday sought a prison sentence of 18 years for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as his espionage trial came to an unusually swift conclusion, perhaps clearing the way for a swap between Moscow and Washington.
Closing arguments took place behind closed doors at the trial, where Gershkovich did not admit any guilt, according to the court's press service. The U.S. government and publishers of The Wall Street Journal have denounced the trial in Russia's highly politicized legal system as a sham.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S. — the first American journalist to be accused of espionage since the Cold War.
Gershkovich was in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court for a second straight day Friday for the closed proceedings, where officials said prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence in a high-security prison. A verdict is expected later in the day, according to court officials.
