A Russian court is due on Thursday to rule on the extension of the pre-trial detention of American journalist Evan Gershkovich on charges of “espionage,” which he denies, an important dossier for Russian-US relations.
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This hearing was confirmed to AFP by the Moscow City Court and will appear on the website for future hearings.
The extension of his detention is almost certain, the Russian judiciary only very rarely releases the imprisoned accused until their trial.
Mr. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist, was arrested by Russian security services on March 29 while reporting in Yekaterinburg in the Urals.
The 31-year-old journalist, who also worked for AFP in Moscow in the past, has been accused of “espionage”, which he denies along with Washington, his newspaper, his loved ones and his family.
Russia has also never specified its allegations or provided any public evidence, and the entire trial has been classified as secret.
No date has been set for his trial.
His arrest comes in the context of serious diplomatic tensions between the United States and Russia, caused by the conflict in Ukraine, where Washington is providing Kiev with military and financial support against Moscow.
The detention of a foreign journalist duly accredited by the Russian authorities is unprecedented since Soviet times.
In recent years, several American citizens have been arrested in Russia and sentenced to heavy penalties. Washington accused Moscow of wanting to exchange them for Russians imprisoned in the United States.
In December 2022, American basketball player Brittney Griner, convicted of cannabis trafficking in Russia, was released against Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer captured in the United States.
Last week, another American citizen, Gene Spector, who was also accused of “espionage,” was remanded in custody. Few details are known about his case at this time.