“The detention period has been extended for another three months, until November 30,” the court’s press service announced in a statement. Evan Gershkovich’s hearing was held behind closed doors, and the press was not allowed to attend. A member of the journalist’s legal team left the court without comment, according to an AFP correspondent present at the scene.
The extension of his detention was widely expected since, in the Russian judicial system, it is rare for people facing such serious charges to be released during their trial.
Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old journalist who previously worked for AFP and is currently working for the Wall Street Journal, was arrested on March 29 during a reporting trip to the Urals. His arrest marks the first time a Western journalist has been detained and charged with espionage in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet era in the 1990s. The incident follows the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West following the invasion of Ukraine by part of Russia in February 2022.
So far, Russia has not publicly presented evidence to support its accusations against Gershkovich. The lack of transparency and concrete evidence has been an issue of concern in this case.