On Tuesday, the Moscow City Court rejected the appeal. protection from the arrest of The Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich, accused in Russia of espionage, and his detention pending trial.
The verdict states that “leave the decision of the court of first instance unchanged on a measure of restraint in the form of arrest against Gershkovich, ”the court said in a statement.
The American’s defense appealed the two-month preventive arrest imposed on the reporter on March 30 during his initial appearance before the judge.
Gershkovich’s lawyers, who asked to change the measure of restraint from pre-trial detention to house arrest, revealed the willingness of Dow Jones, which owns WSJ, to post bail in the amount of 50 million rubles (about $612,000).
Gershkovich, serving a preventive measure in Lefortovo prison, Appeared with a smile at the sight inside the glass chamber in the presence of numerous journalists.
When asked by the court whether he needed a translation of the court decision, Gershkovich replied that “there is no need for this,” because this is already clear.
The journalist’s lawyers confirmed that their client continues to deny the charges against him.
“He will defend the right to engage in journalism, he is doing well and thanks to everyone for their support,” said lawyer Tatyana Nozhkina.
He added that in prison the reporter reads Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, goes in for sports and watches TV.
The court was attended by the US Ambassador to Russia, Lynn Tracy, who was able to visit her compatriot the day before after receiving permission from Moscow.
“The accusation is based on nothing, and we will continue to demand that Russia release him.the ambassador said.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Monday that those diplomats who are dividing Russian society will be expelled after dozens of Western diplomats showed up for a trial against opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Tracy, along with the Canadian and British ambassadors, for “interfering” in Russia’s internal affairs.
On the 7th, the Federal Security Service (FSB, formerly the KGB) officially accused the American journalist of espionage.
Dozens of independent Russian journalists wrote a letter demanding his release qualifying as a free charge of espionage under article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for up to 20 years in prison.
Both the White House and The Wall Street Journal denied the allegations of the Russian security forces against their correspondent and demanded his immediate release.
According to Efe.
Source: La Opinion
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