American journalist Evan Gershkovich has been sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison after being found guilty of espionage in a case that his employer, The Wall Street Journal, has condemned as a sham. Gershkovich, 32, denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial, which took place in Yekaterinburg around 15 months after his arrest on espionage charges. The state prosecutor had originally requested an 18 year sentence for Gershkovich.
The Wall Street Journal’s publisher, Dow Jones, has criticized the trial as based on bogus charges that were completely fabricated. The U.S. government has also spoken out against the charges, stating that Gershkovich was wrongfully detained. This is a developing story and updates are expected in the future.
Overall, Evan Gershkovich has been sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia after being found guilty of espionage in a trial condemned by his employer and the U.S. government as a sham. Gershkovich has denied all charges, and the prosecution had originally requested an 18 year sentence. Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, described the trial as based on completely fabricated charges. The story is still developing, with more updates expected in the future.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com