The trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is accused of espionage by Russia, will be held behind closed doors, the trial court announced on Monday.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 29, 2023, in Yekaterinburg, for allegedly collecting secrets for the CIA. He denies the charges, and The Wall Street Journal maintains that he was simply doing his job as a journalist.
The FSB claims that Gershkovich was gathering information about a Russian defense enterprise, Uralvagonzavod, for the CIA. The trial will be closed to the public, according to the Sverdlovsk Regional Court.
The first hearing is scheduled for June 26. Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted at the possibility of a swap involving Gershkovich, but negotiations are said to be ongoing.
Gershkovich, a fluent Russian speaker with a background in journalism, has been working in Moscow since 2017. His arrest highlights the strained relations between Russia and the West in recent years.
