Schumer, McConnell issue joint statement to condemn ‘wrongful detention’ of reporter in Russia

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTVQ) — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued a statement Friday to “strongly condemn” the “wrongful detention” of a Wall Street Journal reporter in Russia.

Evan Gershkovich, 31, was detained last week in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It was the first time a U.S. correspondent had been detained on spying accusations since the Cold War. The Wall Street Journal has said it “vehemently denies” the charges and demanded his release.

At a hearing Thursday, Moscow’s Lefortovsky District court ruled that Gershkovich would be kept behind bars for two months pending an investigation, according to the AP.

Friday, he was charged with espionage. He entered his official denial as well.

Schumer and McConnell’s full statement is below:

“We strongly condemn the wrongful detention of U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and demand the immediate release of this internationally known and respected independent journalist.

Mr. Gershkovich was accredited by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work as a journalist in Russia. Since his arrest, Russian authorities have failed to present any credible evidence to justify their fabricated charges.

Moreover, against standard diplomatic practice and likely in violation of international law the U.S. Embassy has been denied consular access to Mr. Gershkovich.

Russia has a long and disturbing history of unjustly detaining U.S. citizens in a judicial system that provides neither transparency nor justice. Indeed, even now, the Kremlin continues to wrongfully detain U.S. citizen Paul Whelan. The Kremlin should release Mr. Whelan and Mr. Gershkovich now.

Let there be no mistake: journalism is not a crime. We demand the baseless, fabricated charges against Mr. Gershkovich be dropped and he be immediately released and reiterate our condemnation of the Russian government’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish independent journalists and civil society voices.”

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Monday that the Biden administration was pressing hard for Gershkovich’s release. “It’s got attention all the way up to the Oval Office in terms of how we can get him home,” Kirby told reporters in Washington.

President Joe Biden himself weighed in on Friday, urging Russia to release Gershkovich. “Let him go,” Biden told reporters at the White House when asked if he had a message for Russia.