UN Experts Call for the Release of Journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia
UN Experts Call for the Release of Journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia
Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the number of imprisoned journalists in Russia has reached an all-time high.
A group of UN experts* condemned the continued arbitrary detention of Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter and US-citizen who has been held without evidence for a year.
“Russian authorities have yet to provide any credible evidence to substantiate the egregious espionage claims against Gershkovich,” the experts said in a statement issued on March 28.
They recalled that Gershkovich, who was arrested in Yekaterinburg on 29 March 2023 and has since been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, faces unfounded charges of espionage. Russian authorities have detained Gershkovich for a year without any evidence or fair trial by a competent, impartial and independent court.
The experts noted that the Moscow City Court on March 26 extended Evan Gershkovich’s detention for another three months, until 30 June 2024.
“This fits a well-documented pattern of Russian authorities using politically motivated administrative and criminal charges that allow for multiple renewals of pre-trial detention, targeting dissidents and independent voices opposed to Russia’s war on Ukraine,” they said.
“Gershkovich’s arrest is indicative of a disturbing trend in Russia, which has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of journalists—both Russian and foreign citizens—imprisoned for their work,” the experts said.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the number of imprisoned journalists in Russia has reached an all-time high, underlining the government’s intention to control the narrative both domestically and internationally, they noted.
The experts also pointed out that, according to recent reports, 12 of the 17 foreign-national journalists detained worldwide are being detained in Russia.
They noted that at least 30 journalists are known to be detained and facing lengthy prison sentences, including on spurious charges of so-called crimes such as “disseminating false information” and “discrediting” the actions of the Russian armed forces.
Since 18 October, another journalist with US citizenship, Alsu Kurmasheva, has also been arbitrarily detained in Russia. Kurmasheva, who worked for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, is accused of violating the provisions of the Russian law on “foreign agents” and may face additional charges.
“Gershkovich, Kurmasheva and all other journalists imprisoned for reporting from Russia must be released immediately and unconditionally,” the experts said, strongly condemning flagrant violations of international human rights obligations by Russian authorities.
*The experts: Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council.
