Evan Gershkovich’s WSJ colleagues, loved ones who worked to get him home celebrate release: 'Beyond thrilled'
People who care about Gershkovich never let his name escape the spotlight
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Wall Street Journal newsroom erupted with applause on Thursday when staffers learned beloved reporter Evan Gershkovich was coming home after spending 16 months wrongfully detained by Russia as his colleagues and loved ones worked to keep his name in the zeitgeist.
"We can finally say, in unison, ‘Welcome home, Evan,’" WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker wrote.
The 32-year-old reporter was among the Americans released as part of a massive swap of political prisoners involving the United States, Russia, and other countries. He was arrested on March 29, 2023, while reporting on a trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and accused of espionage.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Biden administration quickly declared him "wrongfully detained" and The Wall Street Journal and U.S. government both forcefully denied the charges. He was eventually convicted in what WSJ leaders and others condemned as a "sham" trial and sentenced last month to 16 years at a high-security penal colony. WSJ staffers had no idea that Gershkovich would be sent home weeks later.
BIDEN CALLS RUSSIA PRISONER SWAP DEAL THAT FREED WSJ'S GERSHKOVICH, WHELAN A 'FEAT OF DIPLOMACY'
Evan Gershkovich was freed from Russia in a prisoner swap and is seen sat on an aircraft on Thursday, August 1. (Russian TV)
He and other freed prisoners arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Thursday night and were greeted by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's amazing to see that headline from The Wall Street Journal, because we didn't know when that finally would be coming. But today was the day. This is obviously a historic day," WSJ publisher Almar Latour said on "America Reports."
Jeremy Berke, who met Gershkovich roughly 15 years ago at Bowdoin College, is part of a close-knit group of friends that has worked to keep a spotlight on Gershkovich’s story.
"We’re beyond thrilled to welcome our friend Evan back home. We want to thank all those who worked tirelessly for his return over the past 16 months, including his friends, President Biden, and especially his family," Berke told Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WSJ REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH ASKED FOR PUTIN INTERVIEW UPON RELEASE FROM RUSSIAN PRISON
WSJ Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker and staff monitor the prisoner exchange in Turkey between the United States and Russia, including of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, at the WSJ offices in New York City, U.S., on August 1, 2024. (Dan Lyon/Wall Street Journal/Handout via REUTERS)
Paul Beckett, who was the Washington bureau chief before shifting positions to focus on bringing Gershkovich home, explained the significance of his role.
"We decided two things, really the moment that we knew this happened… the first was that we wanted to be the employer that you would want, if you were in Evan’s situation," Beckett said Thursday on "The Story" with Martha MacCallum.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The second was, that we wanted to be loud to make sure that we could try and set the landscape for a successful negotiation. We did not do that ourselves, we did that with the help of so many colleagues in the media," he continued. "Other governments, other institutions, and millions of well-wishers across the world to make sure that Evan never fell out of the spotlight."
Beckett said he was convinced that Gershkovich’s release would have been harder to achieve if his plight didn’t remain at the forefront.
"Because of those collective efforts, and the government’s determination to bring back its citizens, this happened today," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Beckett also shared a lengthy thread on X.
"Smiles of joy, tears of relief: Evan Gershkovich and others held in Russia are on their way home. It has been 16 months of wrongful imprisonment for Evan. We celebrate with his wonderful family and all the families reunited today," Beckett wrote.
WSJ REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH RELEASED BY RUSSIA IN PRISONER SWAP; PAUL WHELAN ALSO BEING FREED
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Evan’s seizure generated a wellspring of support for him and the broader cause of press freedom - we are SO grateful to everyone who stood with Evan. You created the landscape on which successful negotiations could happen and didn’t let up," he continued. "Evan Gershkovich turned out to be not just a great reporter but an extraordinary human being. His fortitude, determination and good humor shone through even when we could only see him in glass cages in drab Moscow hearing rooms. What a guy."
The Journal had an onslaught of internal efforts to raise awareness for Gershkovich, holding various events and organizing social media storms to mark each somber occasion. There have been BBQs, swimming events, a #CookForEvan campaign and the paper offered significant coverage of the horrific ordeal on a regular basis.
The National Press Club's bar in Washington D.C. even named his favorite burger – a cheeseburger with grilled onions, fried egg and chili mayo – the "Evan Burger" to help raise awareness.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hours before word that he could be set free began to circulate online, chief digital editor Grainne McCarthy sent a memo to staffers noting that Gershkovich had been detained for "70 long weeks."
McCarthy also thanked Gershkovich’s colleagues for something that emerged as a common theme… continuing to keep his name at the forefront.