Journalism is not a crime: Biden after journalist Gershkovich’s sentencing in Russia

Biden also said that Gershkovich “was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American.” “As I have long said and as the UN also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime,” Biden added.

The conviction of the reporter, who was arrested in March 2023, while on a reporting trip attracted condemnation from global leaders. In a social media post on X, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “The sentencing of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russia’s utter contempt for media freedom. Journalism should not be a crime. Gershkovich must be released immediately.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also condemned the ruling by Russian court saying, sentencing of Gershkovich by showcases President Vladimir Putin’s fear of the power of facts.

“Journalism is not a crime and the truth cannot be locked away,” Baerbock wrote on X, adding that the verdict was “politically motivated and part of Putin’s war propaganda.”

Gershkovich, a 32-year-old scribe, claimed that the charges against him were false as he stood trial in Yekaterinburg last month. He is the first US reporter arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War.

The trial, known for its secretive and swift proceedings, has ignited speculation about a potential US-Russia prisoner exchange deal involving him and possibly other Americans detained in Russia.

The Kremlin has remained tight-lipped about the possibility of such an exchange, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating, “I’ll leave your question unanswered.”

Russian prosecutors alleged that Gershkovich collected confidential information on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency concerning a company that supplies tanks for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Both Gershkovich and his employer have denied these accusations.

He was arrested by FSB officers on March 29, 2023, at a steakhouse in Yekaterinburg, located 900 miles (1,400 km) east of Moscow, and has since been held in Lefortovo prison in Moscow.