SABEW, the Association for Business Journalists, denounces the 16-year prison sentence handed down by a Russian court after the secret trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. We demand to see the evidence presented against him as without proof of his guilt on espionage charges, we can only conclude that the trial is a sham. We applaud the statement by the Journal that “journalism is not a crime” and urge the United States and Russian governments to work out an arrangement for the release of Gershkovich and fellow detainee Paul Whalen.
Gershkovich was fully accredited by the Russian government when he was arrested in Eastern Russia on assignment more than 475 days ago. His unlawful detention is a reminder that for authoritarian regimes, the presence of a single reporter gathering facts about business and economic conditions can be viewed as an existential threat. We remain hopeful that with his trial over, Gershkovich will be able to return home to his family and resume his important work.
SABEW is the largest association of business journalists. The nonprofit organization advocates for the protection of the First Amendment and a free press.
