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Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
MOSCOW — A Moscow court docket rejected an enchantment towards the continued detention of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was apprehended on Mar. 29 on prices of espionage.
The listening to marked the primary time the 31-year-old Wall Avenue Journal reporter had been seen in public since he was detained by Russian safety brokers whereas on a reporting journey within the Ural mountain metropolis of Yekaterinburg.
Journalists have been allowed briefly into the court docket room, the place Gershkovich was may very well be seen inside a glass cage wearing a plaid blue shirt and denims chatting along with his legal professionals.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy was additionally current for parts of the closed listening to. Following the ruling, Tracy repeated U.S. authorities requires Gershkovich’s quick launch
“I can solely say how troubling it was to see Evan, an harmless journalist, held in these circumstances,” mentioned Tracy, who famous she had solely been granted consular entry to the American journalist yesterday after two weeks of making an attempt.
“I can report that he’s in good well being and stays robust regardless of his circumstances,” Tracy mentioned.
Gershkovich’s legal professionals mentioned he would enchantment the court docket’s discovering — however indicated the subsequent listening to would come no ahead of late Could.
For now, Gershkovich stays in a cell at Moscow’s Lefortovo jail, the place he is been busy studying books like Leo Tolstoy’s traditional Conflict and Peace, watching cooking reveals, and answering letters from well-wishers from across the globe.
The U.S. State Division has labelled Gershkovich “wrongfully detained” — a designation that gives the federal government extra leeway in negotiating the journalist’s launch.
“Journalism shouldn’t be a criminal offense,” State Division spokesman Vedant Patel mentioned in a press release final week. “We name for the Russian Federation to right away launch Mr. Gershkovich.”
But Russian officers insist Gershkovich was caught “red-handed” and advised a possible prisoner swap might come as soon as the authorized system had run its course.
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