updates: Russia detains WSJ reporter, alleging espionage; the Journal demands his release
Holly Ellyatt
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Russia's security service, the FSB, said Thursday that it has detained a reporter with the U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal.
The reporter, Evan Gershkovich, was detained in Yekaterinburg on suspicion of espionage, the FSB
said in a statement Thursday.
Taxis move past the headquarters of Russia's Federal Security Services (FSB) in central Moscow on May 12, 2022.
Natalia Kolesnikova | Afp | Getty Images
The FSB claimed Gershkovich was "acting on instructions from the American side" and alleged that the reporter "was collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Russia." It provided no evidence to support the allegations.
Russia has a long reputation of harassing journalists and has detained a number of foreigners on spying charges, with the reasons for the detentions (and, in some cases, prosecutions) often spurious and politically motivated.
The WSJ said it was "deeply concerned for the safety of Mr. Gershkovich."
55 MINS AGO
Kremlin claims detained WSJ reporter 'caught red-handed'
The Kremlin claimed a Wall Street Journal reporter detained by Russia's security service over spying allegations had been caught "red-handed," but offered no further detail on the situation.
When asked how the Kremlin assessed the incident — which saw WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich detained in Yekaterinburg by the FSB — Kremlin spokesperson Dimitry Peskov told reporters that it was up to the security service how to proceed and whether to share information with the U.S. authorities.
"This is the prerogative of the FSB. There has already been a statement from them, we have nothing to add here," he said, adding: "The only thing I can add is that as far as we know, he was caught 'red-handed'," without providing further details or evidence.
Asked to elaborate on what he meant by "red-handed," Peskov said "I don't know the details. This is the prerogative of the special services, which are fighting spies."
Asked what could happen to the WSJ bureau in Russia and whether journalists there could be deported, Peskov said "no, those who carry out normal journalistic activities
— of course, if they have a valid accreditation, they will continue to work. There will be no problems with them."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov waits before a signing ceremony following talks of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 21, 2023. Sputnik/Vladimir Astapkovich/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Vladimir Astapkovich | Sputnik | Reuters
The FSB said earlier Thursday that it had detained Gershkovich on suspicion of espionage
, claiming the U.S. citizen was "acting on instructions from the American side" and was "collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Russia." It provided no evidence to support the allegations.
The Wall Street Journal said it "vehemently denies" the allegations and demanded Gershkovich's release, calling him a "trusted and dedicated reporter."
Russia has a poor reputation when it comes to its treatment of journalists undertaking investigative work or those who do not toe the Kremlin line.
— Holly Ellyatt
AN HOUR AGO
WSJ 'vehemently denies' allegations made by Russia after reporter detained
Stacks of The Wall Street Journal newspaper wait to be distributed.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The Wall Street Journal said it "vehemently denies" the allegations made by Russia's security service after the FSB detained one of the newspaper's reporters, Evan Gershkovich, alleging that he had been spying at the behest of the U.S.
"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 Wall Street Journal said in a statement released to the media.
The FSB said earlier Thursday that it had detained Gershkovich on suspicion of espionage
, claiming the U.S. citizen was "acting on instructions from the American side" and was "collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Russia."
It provided no evidence to support the allegations.
— Holly Ellyatt, Ruxandra Iordache
2 HOURS AGO
Russia claims activities of arrested U.S. reporter 'not related to journalism'
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed Thursday that the activities of the detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich were "not related to journalism."
"What an employee of the American edition of The Wall Street Journal was doing in Yekaterinburg has nothing to do with journalism," Zakharova said on Telegram, in comments translated by Google.
Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova
Valery Sharifulin | TASS | Getty Images
"Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the status of a 'foreign correspondent,' a journalistic visa and accreditation are used by foreigners in our country to cover up activities that are not journalism," she said, adding that "this is not the first well-known Westerner to be 'grabbed by the hand.'"
Russia's security service, the FSB, said Thursday that it had detained Gershkovich in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, alleging that he had been "acting on instructions from the American side" and "was collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Russia."
It provided no evidence to back up its allegations. Russia is a hostile environment for journalists to operate independently in, with anyone doing so risking falling foul of the authorities. A number of journalists have been detained, disappeared or have died in suspicious circumstances in Russia.
Russia ranks 155th out of 180 countries assessed in the Reporters Without Borders'
Press Freedom Index last year, putting it on the index's red list, indicating a "very bad" press freedom situation in the country.
— Holly Ellyatt
3 HOURS AGO
Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia
Russia's security service, the FSB, said it had detained a reporter with the U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal.
The reporter, Evan Gershkovich, was detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on suspicion of espionage, the FSB
said in a statement Thursday.
A picture taken on July 24, 2021 shows WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained in Russia.
Dimitar Dilkoff | Afp | Getty Images
Russia has a long-standing reputation of harassing journalists and has detained a number of foreigners on spying charges, with the reasons for the detentions (and, in some cases, prosecutions) often spurious and politically motivated.
The FSB said it had "stopped the illegal activities of the correspondent of the Moscow bureau of The Wall Street Journal, an American Gershkovich Evan born in 1991, accredited at the Russian Foreign Ministry, who is suspected of spying for the U.S. government."
The FSB claimed that Gershkovich was "acting on instructions from the American side" and alleged that the reporter "was collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Russia."