Skip to main content
Politics

Wall Street Journal marks reporter Evan Gershkovich’s year jailed in Russia


Today marks a year since Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia on espionage charges, which he, the newspaper, and the U.S. government strongly refute. To highlight his ongoing imprisonment, today’s Wall Street Journal front page features a significant blank space with the headline, “His story should be here – A year in Russian prison. A year of stolen stories, stolen joys, stolen memories. The crime: journalism.”

President Joe Biden released a statement Friday morning, saying, “As I have told Evan’s parents, I will never give up hope either. We will continue working every day to secure his release. We will continue to denounce and impose costs for Russia’s appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips. And we will continue to stand strong against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists—the pillars of free society.”

“It’s always a mixed feeling. I’m happy to see him and that he’s doing well, but it’s a reminder that he is not with us. We want him at home,” Gershkovich’s mother, Ella Milman, told The Associated Press.

Emma Tucker, the Journal’s Editor in Chief, expressed admiration for Gershkovich’s resilience and humor in the face of wrongful detention in a letter published in today’s edition.

She emphasized the attack on free press rights and the crucial role of journalism in society. A Russian court recently extended Gershkovich’s detention until June 30, without setting a trial date or presenting evidence to support the espionage allegations.

Tags: , , ,

[KARAH RUCKER]

TODAY MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH WAS TAKEN PRISONER IN RUSSIA – DETAINED ON ALLEGATIONS OF ESPIONAGE – CHARGES THE REPORTER, THE NEWSPAPER AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT all DENY.

THE JOURNAL MAKING SURE GERSHOKOVICH IS NOT FORGOTTEN – LEAVING A LARGE BLANK SPACE ON TODAY’S FRONT PAGE WITH THE HEADLINE READING “HIS STORY SHOULD BE HERE – A YEAR IN RUSSIAN PRISON.

A YEAR OF STOLEN STORIES, STOLEN JOYS, STOLEN MEMORIES. THE CRIME — JOURNALISM.”

THE JOURNAL’S EDITOR IN CHIEF EMMA TUCKER WRITING A LETTER IN TODAY’S EDITION – SAYING

“Evan has shown remarkable willpower, strength and even humor during his wrongful detention. We are amazed at his—and his family’s—steadfastness in the face of such a harrowing ordeal.

But their fortitude doesn’t change the fact that Evan’s detention is a blatant attack on the rights of the free press at a time when evidence abounds around the globe of the vital role that quality journalism plays in our society’s understanding of world events and in bearing witness to history.”

THERE HAS NOT BEEN A TRIAL DATE SET FOR GERSHKOVICH.