WSJ 'demands' release of Evan Gershkovich after arrest by Russia for espionage
The Wall Street Journal demanded the immediate release of journalist Evan Gershkovich Saturday following his arrest by Russia’s top security agency on espionage charges.
“We know what’s going on in the world because of the fearless reporting of journalists like Evan," the statement read. "Evan’s case is a vicious affront to a free press, and should spur outrage in all free people and governments throughout the world."
Who is Evan Gershkovich?: What we know about WSJ reporter arrested by Russia for espionage
"No reporter should ever be detained for simply doing their job,” the newspaper added.
Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, was detained in Yekaterinburg Thursday following accusations of spying on behalf of the U.S. government, Russia’s Federal Security Service said.
The agency alleged that the American journalist “was acting on the U.S. orders to collect information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military industrial complex that constitutes a state secret."
More: Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter for espionage
The Wall Street Journal “vehemently” denied all allegations against Gershkovich and called for his “immediate release” in a statement following the news of its reporter’s arrest.
The detention of Gershkovich, 31, marks the first time an American journalist has been arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War.
In a Sunday call, Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the case with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the State Department said.
The White House said Monday that Gershkovich's case has "everybody's attention," including President Joe Biden's.
National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters that "conversations with the Russians will continue as appropriate" and the administration is doing everything it can to bring the reporter home.
Kirby added that the administration expects ''it's going to take a lot of hard work. That doesn't mean we're going to shy away from it, we'll do that work," he said. "And so it's got it's got attention all the way up to the Oval Office, in terms of how we can get him home."