American reporter Evan Gershkovich in ‘good spirits’ despite Russia extending detention: US ambassador

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich remains in good health and spirits despite Russia extending the journalist’s pretrial detention on espionage charges through at least the end of March, the U.S. ambassador to Russia said on Wednesday.

Gershkovich, 32, will remain held at the notorious Lefortovo Prison in Moscow until at least March 30, after a Russian court rejected his latest appeal on Tuesday. He was first detained in late March 2023 while reporting in Yekaterinburg, the fourth-largest city in Russia, and accused of espionage.  

"Journalism is not a crime," U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy said in a statement Wednesday after visiting Gershkovich at the prison. "We condemn the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia, and its ongoing attempts to corrupt the truth."

"The charges against Evan are baseless, and we call on the Russian Federation to immediately release him," the ambassador said.

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Tracy said that the journalist "is in good health and remains in good spirits, despite his circumstances," adding that the embassy will continue to support both Gershkovich and his family. 

In the same statement, the ambassador also called for the release of Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan who has been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. 

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"Paul has been wrongfully detained in Russia for more than four years," Tracy said. "Both men deserve to go home to their families now."

The Russian court upheld the detention of Gershkovich after Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said he was open to a prisoner exchange. 

In a recent interview, Putin hinted that Gershkovich could be released through such an exchange, and that discussions between the U.S. and Russia are underway. 

"There is no taboo to settle this issue. We're willing to solve it," Putin said. "But there are certain terms being discussed via special services channels. I believe an agreement can be reached."

Fox News’ Hannah Panreck and The Associated Press contributed to this report.