The U.S. ambassador to Russia said Monday that she was able to visit the American reporter who was detained more than two weeks ago on charges of espionage.
Ambassador Lynne Tracy said that she visited Evan Gershkovich in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison and, “He is in good health and remains strong.”
It was “the first time we’ve been permitted access to him since his wrongful detention more than two weeks ago,” she said on Twitter. “We reiterate our call for his immediate release.”
Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city, on March 29. He is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained for alleged spying.
Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government all denied the accusations.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has “no doubt” that Gershkovich was wrongfully detained.
Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
A Moscow court said that it had received a defense appeal of Gershkovich’s arrest; the appeal is to be heard on April 18, Russian news agencies reported. The Wall Street Journal reports that the court could uphold his detention, move him to another jail, allow his house arrest or grant him bail during this hearing.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said last week that a possible prisoner exchange for Gershkovich could take place, but only after his trial is completed. No date has been set for that.
It’s not clear how long the investigation could last, but other espionage cases have lasted for a year or more.
Russia’s Federal Security Service accused Gershkovich of trying to obtain classified information about a Russian arms factory.