Biden marks anniversary of Gershkovich imprisonment

President speaks in support of the US journalist detained in Russia for a year without trial, and warns of repercussions for Kremlin's attempts to 'use Americans as bargaining chips'

- BEL TREW

Joe Biden said he is working “every day” to secure the release of Evan Gershkovich, a jailed Wall Street Journal reporter the US president said is being held by Russia as a “bargaining chip”, as the journalist marked one year behind bars.

Mr Gershkovich, 32, became the first US journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War when he was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) last March during a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg. Despite being a fully accredited journalist, he was accused of spying for the US by the Russian authorities – an accusation that he, The Wall Street Journal and the US government vociferously deny.

His plight has sparked global uproar and concerns about the collapse of press freedom in Russia. It was even raised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, on Thursday, when the primate called for the world to pray for Mr Gershkovich over the Easter weekend.

“Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter – risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine,” Mr Biden said in a statement, vowing to work to free Mr Gershkovich and other US citizens locked up in Russia. “We will continue working every day to secure his release. We will continue to denounce and impose costs for Russia’s appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips.”

No one knows exactly how many US citizens are being held in Russia. Another American accused of espionage is Paul Whelan, a corporate executive from Michigan who was arrested in 2018. He was sentenced two years later to 16 years in prison, on charges he also denies.