Some 200 Russian journalists and activists have signed an open letter demanding the immediate release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, reports Andrew Jeong of The Washington Post.
Jeong reports, “The letter’s authors called the charges against Gershkovich ‘preposterous and unjust’ and said the FSB was simply expecting the world to take it at its word. The Kremlin has a history of unjustly detaining U.S. citizens, Western officials have said.
“Many of the signatories were independent journalists working for Russian news organizations based outside their homeland. The letter was published in outlets such as Mediazona, whose reporters are scattered outside Russia, and TV Rain, which broadcasts from the Netherlands. Their locations symbolize the collapse of press freedom since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine last year.
“The letter’s authors also compared Gershkovich to Ivan Safronov, a Russian journalist sentenced in September to 22 years on treason charges. Evidence was not made public, as Safronov’s trial was held behind closed doors, The Washington Post has reported.”
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