Russia’s foreign ministry has denied a request on behalf of the US for a consular visit to Evan Gershkovich, the American Wall Street Journal reporter jailed on espionage charges.
Gershkovich has been in custody since his arrest on 29 March by Russia’s security service on espionage charges that he, his employer and the US government have denied.
He is the first correspondent since the cold war to be detained in Russia on spying charges, and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and drew outrage in the west, reports The Guardian. The US has declared him to be wrongfully detained and demanded his immediate release.
The ministry rejected the request for the visit, proposed for May 11th, in retaliation for the US refusing to grant visas to Russian journalists who planned to accompany Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on a trip to the UN. The Russian denial of the American request for a consular visit to Gershkovich followed Lavrov warning that Moscow “will not forget and will not forgive” the denial of the visas to Russian journalists. The foreign ministry said on Friday it was also considering other retaliatory measures.
Young American journalist Evan Gershkovich arrested in Russia for supposed espionage
