Tom Jones in Poynter, April 11, 2023, reports that the State Department designated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich “wrongfully detained.” The Russians arrested him last month for espionage. The designation means our government is denying that he is a spy and that the case will be handled by the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs that negotiates the release of hostages.
The editorial board of the Financial Times, April 4, 2023, writes that Gershkovich’s arrest is a sign that the authoritarian Russian state is extending the oppression of its own news media to that of foreign countries. They want to hide the truth about the failed Ukraine invasion and the civil unrest in Russia. Gershkovich’s last article was about the impact of the war and sanctions on the Russian economy.