Russia extends detention of US journalist Evan Gershkovich by 3 months

Russian news agencies are reporting that a court has extended the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich by three months. The reports Tuesday said that Gershkovich, an American citizen, was ordered held until Aug. 30. He had been arrested in March on espionage charges on a reporting trip in Russia. He, his employer and the U.S. government have denied the charges. Gershkovich is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained in Russia on spying charges, and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and drew outrage in the West. The U.S. government has declared Gershkovich to be “wrongfully detained” and demanded his immediate release. He’s being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.