Espionage Trial of WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich: New Hearing Behind Closed Doors

A new hearing in the espionage case against Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will occur behind closed doors on Thursday. Gershkovich, accused of espionage by Russia, denies any wrongdoing. The U.S. government and the WSJ support his innocence. Closed trials are customary in Russia for espionage cases.

A new hearing in the espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is scheduled for Thursday. The court, however, has decided the proceedings will be behind closed doors. Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American journalist who denies all allegations, began his trial last month in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, facing charges that could lead to a 20-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors claim that Gershkovich gathered secret information for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency regarding a company that manufactures tanks for Russia's war in Ukraine. He was arrested by FSB security service officers on March 29, 2023, in Yekaterinburg and has since been held in Moscow's Lefortovo prison.

Gershkovich, his newspaper, and the U.S. government strongly deny the allegations, asserting he was merely conducting his duties as a reporter accredited by the Foreign Ministry to operate in Russia. The court had initially scheduled the trial to resume on Aug. 13 but moved the date to Thursday at the defense's request.

The hearing will be closed to the press, and the media will only have access to Gershkovich when the verdict is announced. This aligns with Russia's standard procedure for treason or espionage cases involving classified materials.

The Kremlin maintains that the case and its trial procedures are judicial matters but claims, without releasing evidence, that Gershkovich was caught 'red-handed.' U.S. officials have repeatedly dismissed the charges as baseless, accusing Russia of using Gershkovich and another jailed American, former Marine Paul Whelan, as leverage for a potential prisoner swap.

The U.S. considers both men 'wrongfully detained' and is committed to securing their release. President Vladimir Putin has indicated an openness to a prisoner exchange and confirmed that secret communications with the United States have taken place.

(With inputs from agencies.)