Gershkovich's arrest was announced Thursday by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Kremlin claimed he had been caught "red-handed," without substantiating its accusations.
The case comes amid tensions between the United States and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, and Washington accuses Moscow of detaining several of its citizens for political reasons.
Gershkovich, a thoroughly Russian-speaking reporter known for his thoroughness, denied the charges against him at a Moscow court hearing, according to Russia's state-run Tass news agency.
The 31-year-old American journalist was nevertheless remanded in custody until May 29, the court said in a statement. Such detention may be extended pending a possible trial.
According to Tass, the case has been classified as "secret", which severely limits the publication of information about it. The journalist's lawyer, Daniil Berman, said he was unable to attend Thursday's hearing.
The only details available at this stage: the FSB announced that it had "foiled illegal activity" by arresting Evan Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg, in the Urals, on an unspecified date.
The Russian security services say they suspect him of "spying for the United States", accusing him of having collected information "on a company of the Russian military-industrial complex".
According to Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, journalists face up to 20 years in prison in theory.
Kremlin warning
Before joining the American daily in 2022, Gershkovich was an AFP correspondent in Moscow, and before that, the English-language Moscow Times newspaper. He is of Russian origin and his parents reside in the United States.
"The Wall Street Journal is deeply concerned for the safety" of Evan Gershkovich, the newspaper said in a brief statement.
Evan Gershkovich, July 27, 2021 © Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP
The NGO Reporters Without Borders said it was "alarmed" by "what seems to be a retaliatory measure: journalists must not be targeted!"
And the France said it was "worried" and called on Moscow to respect press freedom.
Ignoring the criticism, the Kremlin claimed that Gershkovich had been caught "red-handed" and warned against any form of retaliation against Russian media in the United States.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Russia has passed several laws punishing any criticism with heavy prison sentences, or equating journalistic investigations on certain sensitive topics with espionage.
"The new Russian legislation (...) allows anyone interested in military affairs, the special military operation (in Ukraine), private military groups, the state of the army to be imprisoned for 20 years," said independent Russian analyst Tatyana Stanovaya, who heads the R.Politik analysis centre.
It also considers that the FSB may have taken the journalist "hostage" with a view to a possible exchange of prisoners.
Prisoner exchanges
Several Russian-American exchanges have indeed taken place in recent years.
Asked about a potential future exchange with Washington, Russian diplomacy deemed the subject premature, calling via its Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, to "see how this history evolves".
Several Americans are already detained in Russia, including one, Paul Whelan, serving a 16-year prison sentence for "espionage" in a case that he and Washington consider fabricated.
The latest exchange between Moscow and Washington took place in December when Russia handed over American basketball player Brittney Griner, detained for drug trafficking, in exchange for the release of arms trafficker Victor Bout imprisoned in the United States.
While Russian press and journalists critical of the Kremlin are often prosecuted, foreign journalists have been spared, as Moscow has preferred to expel correspondents and tighten accreditation rules.
© -/AFP
Foreign reporters are also sometimes followed by the security services during their reporting, especially outside Moscow.
In this context, many Western media have sharply reduced their presence in Russia since the entry of Russian forces into Ukraine.
© 2023 AFP