After the arrest of its journalist in Russia, the Wall Street Journal raises its voice

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre at the press conference about Russia's arrest of American journalist Evan Gershkovich on March 30, 2023. © Getty Images via AFP / CHIP SOMODEVILLA

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The day after the announcement of the arrest of American journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia, the Wall Street Journal on Friday called for the expulsion of "the Russian ambassador and all Russian journalists" working on American soil.

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The Wall Street Journal raises its voice, after the announcement of the arrest of its journalist Evan Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg. Despite the Kremlin's warning in Washington against any form of retaliation against Russian media on US soil, the newspaper believes that "expelling the Russian ambassador and all Russian journalists working here would be the minimum to expect." "The first duty of the U.S. government is to protect its citizens. And too many governments now believe they can arrest and imprison Americans with impunity," reads an op-ed published Friday, March 31.

Faced with what it considers "a calculated provocation to embarrass the United States and intimidate the foreign press that still works in Russia," the newspaper's editorial board is openly calling for a political and diplomatic escalation by Joe Biden towards the Russian government. The US president spoke publicly about the case for the first time on Friday at the White House, asking the Kremlin to "let go" Evan Gershkovich, accused of "spying for the United States" through the Moscow office of the Wall Street Journal.

Moscow does not fear retaliation from Washington

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quick to respond to the American newspaper. "Regarding the demand for the expulsion of all Russian journalists, the Wall Street Journal can say that, but it should not happen. There is simply no reason for this," he said, adding that the American journalist "was caught red-handed" and that "the situation is clear."

Appearing before a Moscow court, Evan Gershkovich denied the charges against him at a hearing, according to Russia's state-run Tass news agency. The American journalist has nevertheless been remanded in custody until 29 May, a measure that can be extended pending a possible trial. The case, classified as "secret" according to Tass, restricts the publication of information about him. The only details available at this stage are those provided by the FSB, the Russian intelligence service, which explains that it "foiled illegal activity" by arresting the American journalist.

Pending possible measures announced by Joe Biden, the White House has castigated an arrest "unacceptable", its spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, describing as "ridiculous" the accusation of spying on the Kremlin while the head of US diplomacy Antony Blinken said he was "extremely concerned". Josep Borrell, the head of European Union diplomacy, meanwhile "condemned" the detention of Evan Gershkovich by Russia, in a tweet denouncing Moscow's "systematic contempt" for press freedom.

The arrest also comes amid increased repression on Russian soil against the foreign press since the offensive against Ukraine and follows the exchange last December between American basketball star Brittney Griner, detained in Russia, and Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, a prisoner in the United States.

(

And with AFP)

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  • United States
  • Joe Biden
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  • Media
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  • Russia