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Russia sentenced American journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal to 16 years in prison on Friday in a trial widely considered a sham. He is the first American journalist convicted of espionage in Russia since the Cold War. As Voice of America correspondent Steve Baragona reports, many media observers say that this case highlights the state of the media in Russia.
A Russian court ruled Friday against American journalist Evan Gershkovich in what is widely seen as a politically motivated case. The 16-year prison sentence against the American journalist on charges of espionage has been strongly opposed by the "Wall Street Journal" newspaper and the American government.
The White House reiterates the position that Mr. Gershkovich was wrongly arrested and that "journalism is not a crime."
" This whole legal process is a sham. He was arrested without right, he did nothing wrong. We have been clear about this from the beginning ," stated US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel.
The trial of Mr. Gershkovich began on June 26 in Yekaterinburg, where the journalist was first detained in March 2023.
He is the first American journalist Russia has convicted of espionage since the Cold War.
The Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to VOA's request for comment. But the Russian foreign minister says a prisoner exchange is under discussion. Media observers say this case highlights the state of the media in Russia.
" This prison sentence simply shows how journalism is being used as a hostage by the Russian authorities. It simply shows the complete lack of respect for independent journalism by the Russian authorities ," says Karol Luczka of the International Press Institute.
Gershkovich is one of two American journalists arrested by Russia. Alsu Kurmasheva, who works for Radio Free Europe, which, like the Voice of America, is part of the United States' Global Media Agency, has been in custody since October.
The journalist traveled to Russia to take care of her mother. Since her arrest, she has been denied a meeting with a US consular official and contact with her husband and daughters in Prague.
Kurmasheva and Radio Free Europe deny the charges, which include violating military censorship laws and failing to register as a foreign agent.
" They are not closing Radio Free Europe by imprisoning our journalist. They are not stopping our information by imprisoning Alsuna. They are simply separating a mother from her two teenage daughters ," says the President.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said this week that the United States will not stop until Russia ends its "barbaric practice of holding people hostage".
Russia has also issued restraining orders and sentencing in absentia to journalists for their reporting in Ukraine. Among them is the American journalist of Russian origin, Masha Gessen. Media groups say that Russia has a drastic record for imprisoning journalists, with 22 arrested at the end of last year, 12 of whom are foreign nationals./ VOA
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