Gershkovich appeal rejected, ensuring detention into June

The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich had an appeal to try and end his pretrial detention rejected Tuesday by a Moscow court, according to The Associated Press ( AP ).

Gershkovich may be in pretrial detention in Russia until late June on spy costs as a result of the failed charm, per the AP.

He was initially detained in March of last year during a reporting vacation. His fear has been abroad criticized, with media freedom organizations, the U. S. state and the Journal saying Gershkovich is unfairly detained.

The 32-year-old Gershkovich seemed to be relaxed in court on Tuesday, the AP reported. He often laughed and talked with his legal staff.

Late last month, the Journal left a blank area on the front page of its display book to call attention to the celebration of Gershkovich’s detainment in Russia. Emma Tucker, the Journal ’s editor-in-chief, published a letter on the same day urging again for Gershkovich’s release.

“This one-year celebration is an opportunity to express our enthusiasm for our partner and his family, ” Tucker wrote. “It is a warning of the risks facing journalists globally as they pursue their important quest. And it energizes us to maintain the effort to ensure that this is the last step that Evan spends in jail. ” 

President Biden also released a statement upon the celebration of Gershkovich’s detainment in which he said “journalism is not a crime ” and that “Evan went to Russia to perform his job as a writer. ”

“Shortly after his utterly unfair and illegal confinement, he drafted a letter to his household from captivity, writing: ‘ I am not losing trust, ’” Biden said.

“As I have told Evan’s families, I will not give up hope sometimes. We will remain working every day to secure his discharge. ”

The Associated Press contributed.