A Year in Captivity: Evan Gershkovich’s Plight and the Dark Reality of Journalism in Russia

Evan Gershkovich, 32, was the first American journalist to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. He was detained by Russian security services on March 29, 2023 while researching for ‘The Wall Street Journal’ in Yekaterinburg. The FSB had accredited him as a journalist, but he was later taken into custody.

His arrest anniversary was marked by The Wall Street Journal with a cover story that read, “A year in a Russian prison. A year of stolen stories, of stolen joys, of stolen memories.” Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, wrote that journalism is considered a crime in Russia.

Gershkovich has been held in a high-security prison from Lefortovo in Moscow since then and his detention period has been periodically extended without any progress on the case. Putin has suggested that he is open to offers to exchange Gershkovich for a Russian prisoner.

Gershkovich moved to Russia in 2017 after working for ‘The New York Times.’ He worked as an editor for ‘The Moscow Times’ before moving to ‘The Wall Street Journal.’ Currently he reads Russian literature, plays chess with his father and watches Arsenal matches on TV from his cell.

The US government has condemned Russia’s actions and vowed to impose costs for it. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Joe Biden have called for his release. Efforts are being made to bring him home through potential negotiations involving other prisoners. Various media outlets have reported on possible exchanges including one involving an alleged former FSB officer serving a sentence in Germany.