American journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested last week in Russia on spying charges, has appealed against the arrest warrant issued by a Moscow court against him which provides for detention until at least May 29. The same Court of the Lefortovo district gave the news, adding that the date on which the appeal hearing will take place has not yet been established. The Tax reports it.
Waiting for trial
The reporter is accused of espionage on the basis of article 276 of the penal code, which provides for sentences of up to 20 years in prison. Gershkovich, whose parents live in the US but are originally from the former Soviet Union, is 32 years old and speaks Russian. Before being hired at the Wall Street Journal he had worked for the AFP agency and for the Russian English-language Moscow Times. In recent days, the White House condemned the arrest “with the utmost firmness”, stating that “it is unacceptable that the Russian government targets American citizens” and calling on all compatriots to leave Russia immediately. Gershkovich pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the Lefortovo District Court in Moscow, which at the end of a closed-door hearing decided to detain him at least until May 29 pending trial.
Source-tg24.sky.it