In an episode exploring the arrest and detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia, The Daily delves into the increasingly hostile climate for foreign journalists in Moscow. Correspondent Anton Troianovski sheds light on Gershkovich's background and the Kremlin's calculated move to accuse him of espionage, likely aiming to strengthen Russia's stance and facilitate a prisoner swap with the U.S.
The episode offers insights into Gershkovich's harsh confinement conditions and the expected trajectory of his trial, which will likely lead to a conviction despite a lack of evidence. While a guilty verdict is anticipated due to Russia's skewed judicial system, Gershkovich's best hope may lie in becoming a bargaining chip for a prisoner exchange.
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Evan Gershkovich's Russian roots, stemming from his Soviet Jewish immigrant parents, cultivated his proficiency in Russian and interest in the country. His journalism career advanced from the Moscow Times to respected foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.
Anton Troianovski notes the increasingly hostile environment for foreign journalists in Moscow prior to and after the 2022 Ukraine invasion. The "fake news" law imposed severe penalties for misspeaking about the war, prompting Gershkovich and others to temporarily leave Russia.
The FSB's March 2023 announcement of Gershkovich's detention on espionage charges suggests Kremlin approval, signaling Putin's calculated move to escalate tensions with the West. Troianovski reveals Putin likely aims to strengthen Russia's stance, create challenges for Western powers, and potentially facilitate a prisoner swap with the U.S.
Gershkovich is held in the notoriously isolating Lefortovo prison, spending 23 hours per day confined to a small cell under constant lighting. His only link to the outside is censored correspondence, yet he maintains humor and resilience.
With a 99% conviction rate in Russian courts, Gershkovich's closed-door trial is widely expected to convict him. However, his best hope lies in negotiations for a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, with Putin potentially using Gershkovich as leverage to secure the release of Russians imprisoned abroad.
1-Page Summary
Exploring Evan Gershkovich’s roots and the shifting conditions for foreign journalists in Russia reveals a complex interplay between personal heritage and professional challenges in a rapidly changing press landscape.
Evan Gershkovich grew up in a household steeped in the Russian language and culture after his Soviet Jewish parents emigrated to the U.S. in 1979. This environment fostered both his personal and professional interest in Russia, shaping his path as a journalist.
Gershkovich's proficiency in Russian and his deep-rooted interest in the country’s affairs propelled him from an entry-level role at the Moscow Times to becoming an experienced and respected foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. His work reflected a nuanced understanding of the Russian socio-political landscape.
Foreign correspondents once navigated a thriving journalism scene in Moscow, but the ambience has grown hostile over time, especially with the events leading up to and following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Prior to the invasion, Anton Troianovski noted the increasingly hostile environment in Russia toward journalists. Despite such conditions, foreign correspondents like Gershkovich manag ...
Evan Gershkovich's background and the changing landscape for foreign journalists in Russia
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The arrest of American journalist Evan Gershkovich in March 2023 has drawn considerable attention due to the circumstances of his detention and the political motivations likely driving it.
On March 29, 2023, Evan Gershkovich went missing while reporting in Yekaterinburg. Shortly after preliminary reports of his disappearance, the FSB announced his detention on suspicions of espionage, alleging that he had been gathering information for the United States regarding Russia's military-industrial complex. The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Gershkovich was caught "red-handed," signaling the Kremlin's direct approval and possible order for the arrest. Anton Troianovski observes that this stance from the Kremlin indicates a calculated move to escalate tensions with the West, especially as President Vladimir Putin uses the incident to strengthen Russia's stance and create challenges for Western powers.
Troianovski reveals that Evan Gershkovich’s parents had previously fled the Soviet Union to escape repression, yet now their son faces repression under a very similar regime. The decision to detain Gershkovich is seen as Putin's strategic move to intensify the conflict with the West. Furthermore, Putin is explicitly using Gershkovich's arrest to suggest readiness to push boundaries with the West and as a bargaining chip to possibly exchange prisoners with the United States.
The circumstances and political motivations behind Gershkovich's arrest and detention
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The conditions of Gershkovich's confinement in the notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow paint a picture of severe isolation and restriction, though he maintains a lifeline to the outside world through censored correspondence.
Gershkovich's confinement at Lefortovo prison is characterized by harsh conditions with a strong emphasis on isolation. This detention center is infamous for its intensely solitary environment where inmates, including Gershkovich, spend 23 hours a day in small cells under constant artificial lighting, contributing to the mental stress and disorientation of prisoners.
The solitude extends to all aspects of life in Lefortovo, where it is clear to the prisoners that they are cut off from each other. This is reinforced by the prison's policy of severely limiting inmate movements through the corridors during any required transfers, ensuring that any sense of connection to the world or fellow inmates remains minimal at best.
Despite the severe conditions of his detention, Gershkovich has been permitted a thread of communication with the outside through letters. While this correspondence o ...
The treatment and conditions of Gershkovich's imprisonment
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As Gershkovich's trial begins in Russia, the outlook within the Russian judicial system appears grim, but opportunities for his release may lie in the political sphere with a possible prisoner swap.
Anton Troianovski points out that with the commencement of Gershkovich's trial, his conviction seems almost certain, noting that more than 99% of Russian criminal cases end in a conviction. The process is shrouded in secrecy, as the trial will be conducted behind closed doors with no public access, under the guise of protecting state secrets. This secrecy comes despite the absence of any credible evidence being presented against Gershkovich.
Troianovski argues that Gershkovich's most realistic chance for freedom is not through the legal process but rather through diplomatic channels—in particular, a prisoner exchange between Vladimir Putin and the United States. The Russians have stated they would only consider an exchange if Gershkovich is convicted.
Evan Gershkovich has, in essence, become a chess piece in the larger geopolitical standoff, with Putin using such arrests to exert pressure and seek out tactical advantages in his ongoing confrontation with the United States. Such tactics are seemingly becoming a pattern, as evidenced by the recent arrests of other foreigners in Russia.
Putin has expressed interest in using Gershkovich as a bargaining chip. One potential exchange highlighted by Troianovski could involve Vadim Krasikov, a Russian imprisoned in Germany for a political assassination. Releasing Krasikov would unde ...
The sham nature of Gershkovich's trial and the prospects for his release through a prisoner swap
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