US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for Russia to immediately release a US journalist during his phone talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The US State Department issued a readout of the conversation on Sunday. The talks came after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia on Thursday on suspicion of spying.
The readout says Blinken conveyed a "grave concern" over the detention, which the State Department calls "unacceptable."
US President Joe Biden is also urging Russia to free Gershkovich.
Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement that Lavrov stressed during the talks that Gershkovich had been detained red-handed while he was receiving secret data and collecting data that constitute a state secret under the guise of a journalist's status.
The statement adds that the US national's future will be determined in court.
Russian media report that Gershkovich could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of espionage.
The US State Department issued a readout of the conversation on Sunday. The talks came after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia on Thursday on suspicion of spying.
The readout says Blinken conveyed a "grave concern" over the detention, which the State Department calls "unacceptable."
US President Joe Biden is also urging Russia to free Gershkovich.
Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement that Lavrov stressed during the talks that Gershkovich had been detained red-handed while he was receiving secret data and collecting data that constitute a state secret under the guise of a journalist's status.
The statement adds that the US national's future will be determined in court.
Russian media report that Gershkovich could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of espionage.
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Summary
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed to Russia for the immediate release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, detained on suspicion of spying. The appeal was made during phone talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following the journalist's detention on Thursday.
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ID: 84d03f4f-134c-4a37-b24b-09347e68b4fa
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230403_04/
Date: April 3, 2023
Created: 2023/04/03 07:34
Updated: 2025/12/09 05:30
Last Read: 2023/04/03 07:36