Friday, March 29, marks one year since Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was wrongly detained in Russia and charged with espionage. To mark the grim milestone, the paper left the majority of its front page empty, declaring “His story should be here.”
President Joe Biden released a statement on the “painful” anniversary:
Today we mark a painful anniversary: one year of American journalist Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful detention in Russia.
Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter —risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine. Shortly after his wholly unjust and illegal detention, he drafted a letter to his family from prison, writing: “I am not losing hope.”
As I have told Evan’s parents, I will never give up hope either. We will continue working every day to secure his release. We will continue to denounce and impose costs for Russia’s appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips. And we will continue to stand strong against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists—the pillars of free society.
To Evan, to Paul Whelan, and to all Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad: We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring you home.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here