White House condemns WSJ reporters arrest in Russia
The Biden administration pledges support from the State Department after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is detained in Russia on espionage charges.
The New York Times defended Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, calling for his "immediate release" on Thursday after he was detained by the Russian government and accused of spying on behalf of the U.S. government.
New York Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said Gershkovich’s coverage of Russia "has been unfailingly fair and accurate." His most recent report, "Russia's economy is starting to come undone," was published hours before his arrest.
"The New York Times is deeply concerned by the detention of Evan Gershkovich in Russia. Evan is a former Times employee whose coverage of Russia for the Wall Street Journal has been unfailingly fair and accurate," Rhoades Ha told Fox News Digital.
"We urge his immediate release," the Times spokesperson continued. "As we have seen too often, the arrest of journalists anywhere in the world deprives the public of news that is essential to all of us."
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service. (Wall Street Journal/Screenshot)
The Times does not currently have reporters in Russia.
In March 2022, the Times pulled all reporters from Russia as the ongoing invasion of Ukraine unfolded.
"Russia’s new legislation seeks to criminalize independent, accurate news reporting about the war against Ukraine. For the safety and security of our editorial staff working in the region, we are moving them out of the country for now," Rhoades Ha said at the time.
Gershkovich is the first American reporter to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since 1986 when U.S. News and World Report correspondent Nicholas Daniloff was detained. Daniloff was released without charge 20 days later in a swap for a Soviet Union’s United Nations mission who was being held by the FBI.
Gershkovich, who is an American citizen, has been accused of spying on behalf of the U.S. government. Russian state news agency TASS has reported that he was ordered to be held in custody until May 29.
WALL STREET JOURNAL DEFENDS REPORTER AFTER HE'S ARRESTED BY RUSSIA ON SUSPICION OF ESPIONAGE
Russian government's Federal Security Service claimed it arrested the journalist while he was "trying to obtain secret information" on the activities of one of "the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex."
Gershkovich’s arrest has sparked global outrage and the National Press Club has also called for his immediate release. The Wall Street Journal forcefully defended its reporter and denied Russia's allegations in a statement.
"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 WSJ's Senior Communications Manager Caitlyn Reuss wrote.
Gershkovich was previously a reporter for Agence France-Presse and the Moscow Times and a news assistant at the New York Times, his WSJ bio says.
BANGLADESHI JOURNALIST JAILED FOR ‘SPREADING FALSE NEWS’
Reporters face up to 15 years in prison if they report what authorities deem false reports about the military, according to a new Russian law. The legislation was passed by both chambers of the Russian parliament.
A Russian reporter was given a six-year prison sentence after the Kremlin-controlled parliament approved legislation last year that outlawed the spread of "false information" about the country’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Fox News’ Kristine Parks, Louis Casiano and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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