An unsettling tweet previously posted by The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich has resurfaced just a week after he was arrested in Russia.
In July 2022, Gershkovich tweeted, “Ilya Yashin, one of the last prominent opposition politicians in Russia, is now facing 10 years in prison for spreading fake news about the war. He predicted this when I spoke to him a few weeks ago while he was still a free man and said he was prepared for it.”
He added, “Reporting on Russia is now also a regular practice of watching people you know get locked away for years.”
reporting on Russia is now also a regular practice of watching people you know get locked away for years
— Evan Gershkovich (@evangershkovich) July 12, 2022
The reporter was arrested on the accusation of espionage last week, as IJR reported.
It was reported on Monday that Gershkovich filed an appeal against his arrest.
According to CNN, he is being held in a pre-trial detention center at the Lefortovo prison until May 29.
Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker commented on the discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Gershkovich’s arrest during an interview over the weekend.
“We know that the US government is taking the case very seriously right up to the top,” Tucker said.
The Wall Street Journal previously issued a statement denying the allegations made by Russia.
“The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich. We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family,” the Journal stated.
Several leaders of news organizations called for Gershkovich’s release in a letter published last week.
“Gershkovich’s unwarranted and unjust arrest is a significant escalation in your government’s anti-press actions. Russia is sending the message that journalism within your borders is criminalized and that foreign correspondents seeking to report from Russia do not enjoy the benefits of the rule of law,” the letter reads.
It continues, “We look forward to your response as we continue to vigilantly follow every step of the proceedings against Evan Gershkovich and call for his immediate release.”