For nearly 15 months, Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), has been confined in a Moscow jail as he now stands trial in Yekaterinburg, where he was arrested on a reporting trip.
Prosecutors accuse Gershkovich of collecting classified information about a Russian tank manufacturer for the CIA.
Gershkovich, his employer, and the US government vehemently deny the espionage charges, which carry a potential 20-year prison sentence.
“This is a bogus process. It’s outrageous and outlandish,” believes Deborah Ball, deputy world coverage chief for Europe, Middle East and Africa at the WSJ.
“[Evan] will not enjoy any of the due process that we would expect in any Western court. It will be closed door. It will be secret.
“Russia’s acquittal rate is less than 1%. We don’t expect any chance of him being acquitted.”
In Yekaterinburg, life appears undisturbed despite the high-stakes trial as locals stroll pass the steakhouse where Gershkovich was detained by Russian security agents on March 29, 2023.
The WSJ has accused Moscow of “stockpiling Americans” to trade for Russians imprisoned abroad.
Among the Americans currently imprisoned in Russia is former marine Paul Whelan, who was convicted of espionage in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony. Whelan, like Gershkovich, has been designated by US officials as “wrongfully detained.”
Last year, Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was arrested in Russia while visiting her ailing mother.
She faces charges of spreading “false information” about the Russian armed forces, potentially resulting in a 15-year prison sentence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested a willingness to consider a prisoner swap involving Gershkovich.
Although Putin has not named specific individuals, he hinted at the case of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian agent serving a life sentence for murder in Germany.
“It’s evident that this is hostage diplomacy,” Ball remarked, noting that Putin views Gershkovich as a political pawn.
The Kremlin has a history of negotiating for the return of Russian nationals. In 2022, the US exchanged convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout for American basketball star Brittney Griner, who had been jailed in Russia on drug charges. Now, an American journalist faces a similar predicament.
The duration of Gershkovich’s trial and his potential imprisonment remain uncertain.
“It’s impossible for us to read this. We just don’t know, we’re shooting in the dark,” Ball admitted.
“The Russians regard this process, this sham trial, as part of some process they envision. Where it fits into what happens next, we have absolutely no idea.”
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