US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, stands inside a glass defendants’ cage during the verdict announcement at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg on July 19, 2024. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP)
Washington, United States
Media rights group Reporters Without Borders said it was “hugely relieved” Thursday by reports that US journalist Evan Gershkovich is set to be released by Russia in a large-scale East-West prisoner swap. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was convicted of espionage and has spent 16 months behind bars, “never should have spent a single day in a Russian prison for doing his job as a journalist,” the group said.”The Russian government’s continued policy of state hostage-taking is outrageous. Journalists are not spies, and they must never be targeted for political purposes.”sms/nro
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