Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted in Russia of espionage charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison. U.S officials say they are trying to secure his release along with detained Canadian citizen, and former U.S. marine, Paul Whelan.

Moscow

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been convicted of espionage charges in Russia and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Gershkovich, who appeared calm during the verdict, was accused by prosecutors of working for the CIA while gathering information about a Russian tank factory. Since his arrest, the Wall Street Journal and U.S. officials have declared the charges against him as wrongful and described his trial as a sham.

Russian courts often convict those accused, especially in espionage trials, which are held behind closed doors. Gershkovich's trial was expedited at the request of his defense team, leading some to speculate about the possibility of a prisoner swap. Russian officials have indicated that exchanges can only occur after a verdict is reached.

The conviction of Gershkovich mirrors that of U.S. basketball player Brittany Griner, who was traded for a Russian arms dealer four months after being convicted of drug smuggling. U.S. officials have emphasized their commitment to securing the release of both Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and Canadian citizen, who has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly six years on similar espionage charges.



U.S. reporter convicted of spying gets 16-year prison sentence

As the judge read out the verdict, Evan Gershkovich stood in the prisoner's box appearing thinner but calm. The Wall Street Journal reporter had to have known it would likely come to this. Russian courts almost always convict the accused and trials for espionage are held behind closed doors until there's a verdict. The prosecutor said the court established that Gershkovich was working for the CIA when he was gathering information about a Russian tank factory. From the moment Gershkovich was arrested in 2023, the Wall Street Journal and U.S. officials decried the charges, declaring him wrongfully detained. They described his trial as a sham. Gershkovich's trial was supposed to continue next month but his defense team pushed to move it up and that has some hoping that there may be momentum for a prisoner swap. I want to think it's a good signal. Sonia Groysman used to work with Gershkovich in Moscow and has been corresponding with him while he's in prison. Even if we all knew it's gonna happen, when I was looking at it, I was like crying because it's just surreal. Russian officials have previously said that there can only be exchanges once there's a verdict. Four months after U.S. basketball player Brittany Greiner was convicted of drug smuggling, she was traded for a notorious Russian arms dealer. We're working it. We're working it as we speak and we're not going to stop until we get Evan home, Paul Whelan home. Whelan is a former Marine and also a Canadian citizen. The prisons here are very, very different than the prisons at home. This spring he called CBC News from a penal colony. He was also convicted of espionage and has been imprisoned for nearly six years. During this whole time he's been holding out for some kind of deal and now officially convicted so too is Gershkovich. Briar Stewart, CBC News, London.

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