A Moscow court on Tuesday rejected an appeal from U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich to be freed from pre-trial detention, meaning he will stay in a former KGB prison until at least May 29 while a spying case against him is investigated.
Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, denies the espionage charges. He looked calm and smiled as he stood in a glass and metal cage before the appeal ruling, wearing a checked shirt with his arms folded in front of him.
His legal team suggested he be freed on bail of 50 million roubles ($614,000) or placed under house arrest, Tatiana Nozhkina, his lawyer, was quoted as saying by Russia’s RIA news agency. She said the court had rejected both suggestions.
Before the hearing got underway, Gershkovich turned around when one of the Russian reporters in the courtroom told him to “Stay Strong!” and relayed to him that everyone said “Hi”. U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy stood nearby.
When asked by the judge if he needed translation, Gershkovich said no and that he understood everything.
