A Moscow court on Thursday rejected an appeal by US journalist Evan Gershkovich and upheld an earlier ruling that he should remain in jail on espionage charges until late August.
31 year old US citizen E. Gershkovich working for Wall Street Journal was arrested on espionage charges in March. Defense lawyers had challenged the decision given by a Moscow court last month in which court agreed to keep him in custody until Aug, 30.
Gershkovich was inside a glass cage in todays hearing at the Moscow city court. Other journalists present in the courtroom were asked to leave before the hearing began and the proceedings took place behind closed doors.
Gershkovich’s parents and U.S. ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy attended the hearing. Speaking to reporters afterward, Tracy said that “Evan continues to show remarkable strength and resilience in these very difficult circumstances.”
Gershkovich was arrested in March in Yekaterinburg. He being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, which is notorious for its harsh conditions. U.S. Embassy officials were allowed to visit him once, but Russian authorities rejected two other requests to see him.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday that the ministry is considering another visit request from the embassy.
