Moscow court to hear appeal from jailed American reporter on April 18

Moscow: A Moscow court will consider an appeal by lawyers of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to lift his pre-trial detention on April 18, the Interfax news agency reported on Thursday, citing the court’s press service.

Gershkovich, an American citizen, was arrested last week in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and charged with espionage. The charges were decried as false and fabricated by the Wall Street Journal, Western leaders and the reporter’s colleagues.

Soon after his arrest, a court in Moscow ordered Gershkovich be held in pre-trial detention at the capital’s Lefortovo prison until May 29.

At that hearing, the American journalist was not allowed to meet his lawyer and prosecutors did not share any case materials.

The hearing on April 18 will also be held behind closed doors since Russia considers information related to the charges as classified, Interfax reported.

Gershkovich’s detention triggered outrage from Western leaders including US President Joe Biden, who urged Russia to “let him go”, and has further strained US-Russia relations, already at their lowest ebb in decades.

The Wall Street Journal said it “vehemently denies” the charges, and dozens of media organisations have called on Russia to release Gershkovich immediately.

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