“The verdict has been passed,” the prosecutor’s office said in a translated Telegram post. “US citizen Evan Gershkovich has been found guilty under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (espionage). The court, agreeing with the position of the state prosecutor, sentenced him to 16 years of imprisonment in a maximum security penal colony.”
The trial, held in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court, concluded with the judge asking Mr. Gershkovich if he understood the verdict, to which he replied, “yes.”
Mr. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March 2023 during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg. He was accused of collecting classified information for the United States, charges that he and his employer have vehemently denied. He is the first American journalist detained on espionage charges in Russia since Nicholas Daniloff’s arrest in 1986.
The trial was marked by secrecy, with closing arguments presented behind closed doors. Mr. Gershkovich maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, which were characterized by limited transparency and restricted media access. The court’s press service told the AP that Mr. Gershkovich did not admit any guilt.
He confirmed that the U.S. embassy in Moscow was not able to attend the trial due to short notice and logistical challenges.
The most recent consular visit to Mr. Gershkovich was by Ambassador Lynee Tracy on May 23, the state department said.
Mr. Patel reiterated: “Evan did nothing wrong and should not have been detained. To date, Russia has provided no evidence of a crime and has failed to justify Evan’s continued detention. Evan should not be detained, Paul Whelan should not be detained, and both of them should be immediately released.”
Mr. Patel declined to provide details about a potential prisoner exchange, stating, “I’m not going to speak to negotiations in public. We are seeking the release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan as soon as possible. The timeline of the trial and what route that takes does not have a bearing and has no impact on the urgency that the United States has been prioritizing in this effort. We want both of them home immediately, and we’ll continue to work in this area until they’re reunited with their loved ones.”
Russian prosecutors had sought an 18-year sentence for Mr. Gershkovich prior to the sentence being handed down.
Unlike earlier stages of the trial, media was allowed access to the courtroom on the day of the verdict. Espionage and treason cases in Russia are often enveloped in secrecy, reflecting the country’s stringent legal approach to such charges. Russian courts are notorious for their high conviction rates, with more than 99 percent of defendants found guilty.
The U.S. State Department has labeled Mr. Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained.” Despite inquiries, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the possibility of a prisoner exchange involving Mr. Gershkovich, the AP reported.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently hinted at ongoing discussions between Russian and American special services about a potential swap. Mr. Lavrov emphasized that any such exchange would only be possible after a formal verdict.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s office alleged last month that Mr. Gershkovich was gathering secret information about Uralvagonzavod, a tank manufacturing and repair plant, under orders from the CIA.
The arrest and conviction of Mr. Gershkovich have intensified concerns among foreign journalists operating in Russia, especially given the country’s increasing repression of freedom of speech following its military actions in Ukraine.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., criticized Russia for treating “human beings as bargaining chips,” highlighting Mr. Gershkovich’s case along with that of Paul Whelan, a former Marine also serving a 16-year sentence in Russia on espionage charges.
