Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was accused of spying and lost his appeal against the extension of his pre-trial detention in Moscow on Thursday.
Last month, the term of Gershkovich’s confinement at Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo jail was extended until August 30. He faces espionage allegations, which he and his employer fiercely deny, and could spend up to 20 years in prison.
In a glass cage, Gershkovich attended the verdict in a dark t-shirt and pants.
The US ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, was also at the hearing at Moscow City Court, as were his parents, Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich.
Tracy told reporters outside the court that the US was “extremely disappointed” by the decision to reject Gershkovich’s appeal.
“This was a procedural hearing, appealing the conditions of his continued detention and we were extremely disappointed by the denial of his appeal,” Tracy said, adding that she “could not speak with Evan directly at the courthouse today,” and blasted Russia’s denial of US diplomats’ requests for consular access to him.
“Failing to comply with its obligations under the consular convention enforced between our two countries, Russia has denied the US embassy’s requests for formal consular access on three occasions since I last visited Evan in April,” she said.
“Nonetheless, today, in the courtroom, Evan continued to show remarkable strength and resiliency in these very difficult circumstances.”
Earlier on Thursday, Russian state news agency TASS reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry was considering a request from the United States for consular access to Gershkovich.
Russia’s main security service, the FSB, has claimed that Gershkovich, a correspondent based in Moscow, had been trying to obtain state secrets.
His arrest in March was the first detention of an American reporter in Russia on allegations of spying since the Cold War, rattling White House officials and further straining ties between Moscow and Washington.
On May 23, his detention was extended until at least August 30 while he awaits trial.
The US State Department has officially designated Gershkovich as wrongfully detained in Russia. US President Joe Biden has also been blunt about Gershkovich’s arrest, urging Russia to “let him go.”