(NewsNation) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia on espionage charges Thursday. The 31-year-old American has been reporting on Russia with various news outlets for six years.
Gershkovich has been detained and accused of espionage by the Federal Security Bureau. According to the WSJ, images on Russian state television showed Gershkovich escorted by plainclothes FSB officers, wearing faded blue jeans and sneakers.
Drew Hinshaw, a fellow WSJ reporter covering Gershkovich’s story joined “NewsNation Prime” to discuss the significance of his arrest.
“This is a secret trial. It’s not one that where the public has a chance to understand even what the basis of the charges of the evidence even are, even though I think we all know, what’s really, this is really about and he’s facing up to 20 years for an espionage charge,” said Hinshaw.
This is the first time Russia has brought an espionage charge against an overseas reporter since the Cold War.
“His employer, friends, colleagues, the State Department and, and everybody I’ve spoken to as a reporter covering this story, has described it in the exact same way, which is: a symbol of Russia’s almost lawless attempt to erode media freedoms and cement the President’s control during this this war that is not going the way he wanted it to,” said Hinshaw
Watch the full interview with Drew Hinshaw in the player above.