Jul 19. () –
The European Union on Friday rejected the 16-year prison sentence handed down in Russia to American journalist Evan Gershkovich for espionage offences, accusing Moscow of issuing a “politically motivated” verdict.
On the one hand, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has conveyed the “strong condemnation” of the Twenty-Seven for the conviction of Gershkovich, and has denounced that “Russia uses its politicized judicial system to punish journalism.”
“The European Union calls for the release of Evan and all other political prisoners,” Borrell said in a brief post on his official profile on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter.
Along the same lines, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, has described this conviction as “the antithesis of justice” and has regretted that the trial of Gershkovich has been “politically motivated” and has been “a farce.”
“Journalism is not a crime. Evan must be released immediately,” Metsola also stressed on social media.
A Russian court on Friday sentenced the American journalist, arrested last year in the city of Yekaterinburg and accused of espionage, to 16 years in a maximum-security colony, charges for which he faced a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The United States has denounced the journalist, who works for the American newspaper ‘The Wall Street Journal’, for being “illegal detention”, although the Russian prosecutor’s office recently approved the list of charges alleging that Gershkovich collected information on a Russian defence contractor on behalf of the American services.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in February that Gershkovich could be released, provided he saw “reciprocal steps” taken by the US authorities. The Kremlin then confirmed “contacts” with Washington regarding a possible prisoner exchange.
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