Russian court sentences US journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison
SUMMARY
Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist, has been sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on espionage charges, following a rushed trial believed to be in preparation for a prisoner swap. Gershkovich, arrested in Yekaterinburg in March, has denied the accusations, which the US State Department and the Wall Street Journal have called baseless. "Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we continue to do everything we can to push for Evan’s immediate release," the Wall Street Journal stated. The trial's unusual speed and secrecy hint at a possible prisoner exchange, with Vladimir Putin acknowledging ongoing discussions. Russia is reportedly interested in exchanging Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, imprisoned in Germany for a 2019 assassination.
