Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter and accuses him of espionage

Evan Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison as FSB says he was ‘collecting classified information’

Russian authorities have arrested a US journalist working in the country and accused him of espionage, a charge that carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

Russia’s FSB security service said Evan Gershkovich, a well respected reporter from the Wall Street Journal, “was collecting classified information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military industrial complex”.

The FSB claimed Gershkovich was “acting on instructions from the American side”. But many observers accused Moscow of engaging in “hostage taking”, by arresting a high-profile reporter who could be used as leverage in a potential prisoner swap.

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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/russia-arrests-wall-street-journal-reporter-on-espionage-charges-evan-gershkovich