The verdict is a setback for the American taken into custody in March 2023.June 13, 2024, 10:01 AM ET• 5 min readIn a setback to Wall Boulevard Magazine reporter Evan Gershkovich, the Russian prosecutor’s administrative center introduced Thursday he’ll stand trial on espionage fees, formally finishing any long term pre-detention appeals.”The Prosecutor Normal’s Place of job of the Russian Federation has licensed an indictment within the prison case in opposition to US citizen Evan Gershkovich,” the administrative center stated in a commentary. “The prison case has been despatched to the Sverdlovsk Regional Courtroom for attention at the deserves.”It persisted, “The investigation established and documented that the American journalist of The Wall Boulevard Magazine, Gershkovich, at the directions of the CIA in March 2023, gathered secret data within the Sverdlovsk area in regards to the actions of the protection endeavor JSC NPK Uralvagonzavod for the manufacturing and service of army apparatus.”Gershkovich has denied he was once enthusiastic about any espionage and the U.S. State Division has declared him to be wrongfully detained.The commentary Thursday marks the primary time prosecutors have publicly accused Gershkovich of operating for the CIA, alleging with out proof that he was once amassing “secret data” on a tank manufacturing unit within the Sverdlovsk area. Gershkovich, The Wall Boulevard Magazine, the U.S. govt and Gershkovich’s many colleagues all vehemently dispute he was once operating as a secret agent and say that he was once doing his activity as a reporter.Wall Boulevard Magazine reporter Evan Gershkovich, left, stands in a tumbler cage in a court docket on the First Appeals Courtroom of Normal Jurisdiction in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, April 23, 2024.Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP, FILEGershkovich was once on a reporting shuttle in Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Sverdlovsk area, when he was once arrested in March 2023.In the past, prosecutors have alleged Gershkovich was once operating for a overseas intelligence provider with out specifying which one.In March, Gershkovich’s oldsters had informed ABC Information they have been constructive about development of their son’s case.”We all know that the U.S. govt is taking Evan’s case very severely,” his mom, Ella Milman, informed “Excellent Morning The us” co-anchor George Stephanopoulos in an unique sit-down interview.”I believe when you let the pessimism in … the sport is over,” she stated. “And our pronouncing within the circle of relatives is we are transferring ahead. Transferring ahead.”Wall Boulevard Magazine reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a tumbler cage in a court docket on the Moscow Town Courtroom, in Moscow, Dec. 14, 2023.Dmitry Serebryakov/AP, FILERussian President Vladimir Putin made his first feedback on Gershkovich’s detention in months on June 5.”I do know that america management is truly taking full of life steps for his unlock. That is true. However such problems aren’t resolved during the media,” Putin stated. “They love this type of quiet, calm skilled method and discussion between the intelligence services and products.”He added, “, you consider that he’s blameless, and Russian legislation enforcement businesses and particular services and products consider that he dedicated unlawful movements, which can be referred to as espionage. I can now not move into main points.”Gershkovich maximum lately gave the impression in court docket in Moscow for a pretrial listening to on April 23 as a part of an enchantment in opposition to the spying fees. His enchantment was once denied and he was once ordered held via a minimum of June 30.The reporter smiled and gave a thumb’s up when requested via ABC Information throughout the court docket how he was once doing.ABC Information’ Will Gretsky and Mark Osborne contributed to this document.
