Seeking Justice for Evan Gershkovich: Inside Lefortovo Prison

A prisoner at Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo Prison, Evan Gershkovich is awaiting trial for espionage-related offenses. He refutes all allegations, as does his publication, The Wall Street Journal.

TFD – Dive into the compelling story of Evan Gershkovich, a prisoner at Lefortovo Prison in Russia, battling espionage allegations. Join us in understanding the struggles faced by his family, the legal hurdles, and the global fight for justice against wrongful detainment.

Evan Gershkovich looked destined to be a reporter even as a young child. His parents had left Russia during the Soviet era, so he was naturally curious, enjoyed a good story, and had a keen interest in the country.

He was present when Russia launched the largest crackdown on the free press in decades, which would eventually trap him and send him to stand trial on espionage allegations that many in the West condemn as retaliation for carrying out his official duties. On Friday, the one-year anniversary of his arrest, NBC News conducted interviews with his family and close friends.

The 32-year-old Gershkovich was taken into custody in March of last year while covering events in Yekaterinburg, the Ural Mountains, for The Wall Street Journal. Although the Kremlin said he was caught “red-handed” obtaining “secret information,” Russia has not yet offered any proof to back up the claim. Both the Journal and Gershkovich refute every accusation made against him.

He’s being held in the notorious Lefortovo Prison in Moscow, which has a bad reputation for having terrible conditions. His pretrial detention was once again prolonged, this time until at least June 30, following the court’s rejection of his numerous appeals. On Thursday, the Kremlin stated that it was unaware of the potential start date of his trial. In a statement Friday, President Joe Biden addressed the anniversary of Gershkovich’s incarceration, reiterating that the United States continues to work to secure his release and “denounce and impose costs for Russia’s appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips. And we will continue to stand strong against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists — the pillars of free society.”

“We are with you,” he said, addressing both Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a businessman and former US Marine who is also detained in Russia on espionage accusations. And we’ll never give up trying to get you back home.”

Despite the fact that Gershkovich usually beams and seems upbeat at his court appearances, his family and friends are suffering greatly from his year in detention and the lack of a clear conclusion in sight.

Mikhail Gershkovich, his father, told NBC News, “It has been hard.” “He celebrated his birthday and all the holidays there, as well as all four seasons.” We’re eager for him to return home.

During the Cold War, Gershkovich’s parents emigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union. The family called him “Vanya,” which is the diminutive of his Russian name, Ivan, because he and his elder sister spoke Russian at home growing up.

According to Ella Milman, Gershkovich’s mother, his choice to relocate to Russia in 2017 to work as a journalist was motivated by his curiosity and interest in the country, which thrilled the family.

Everything changed when Russia invaded Ukraine. Although Gershkovich frequently returned to Russia to report, he moved overseas along with many other foreign journalists who were concerned about new rules that made criticizing the Russian army illegal.

Milman claimed that in March of last year, she received a call from Gershkovich informing her that he had to wrap up a piece and would return to London the following week. The Journal editor who called her next about him told her that Gershkovich had not returned from his assignment. Then, the news came out: A foreign reporter had been arrested in Russia. It was a complete shock to him, according to Milman.

Danielle Gershkovich described the moment she found out of her younger brother’s imprisonment as “my heart dropped into my stomach.” Although her brother has always been the responsible one while growing up, she claimed to be very close to him despite his tendency to be a “goofball.”

She mentioned that they now exchange letters, in which he frequently expresses his concern about the family’s well-being while also making her laugh. “How strong he is,” she continued. “He still has a spirit,”

Gershkovich is “wrongfully detained,” according to the Biden administration, which has been making concerted efforts to free him. Early on, Moscow gave the impression that, should a verdict be reached, it could be open to talking about a possible swap. However, the State Department announced in December that “a new and significant proposal” to obtain his release had been rejected by Russia.

International news agencies that were still operating in Russia were shaken by his detention. Along with several other American citizens, Alsu Kurmasheva, an American journalist covering radio for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was also arrested after his arrest. This led to allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been amassing a pool of Americans to exchange for Russian nationals imprisoned overseas.

In an interview last month, Putin alluded to the possibility of trading Gershkovich for a Russian hitman imprisoned in Germany. Additionally, sources informed NBC News that arrangements were being made to release opposition leader Alexei Navalny prior to his death in prison last month, which would have included Gershkovich as well.

However, Gershkovich is still detained at this time, and his loved ones are waiting for any updates.

Pjotr Sauer, a friend of Gershkovich’s who works as a Russia reporter for The Guardian, said that he writes to Gershkovich almost every week with an update on Arsenal, the English team that both of them passionately support and which is currently going through its best run since Gershkovich’s teenage years growing up in New Jersey. According to Sauer, he spends a lot of time writing and reading while incarcerated. He is only allowed to leave his little cell for one hour each day. Nevertheless, he claimed that his optimism and sense of humor show through in his writings.

Seeing that he is doing well considering the circumstances he is in gives him a lot of strength, he continued. “Neither physically nor mentally is he broken.”

Masha Barzunova, a friend and independent Russian journalist, noted that Gershkovich’s passion to learn about the nuances of the Russian situation and his profound grasp of the nation were what distinguished him as a foreign journalist. Even though Vanya, as she calls him, is aware of the dangers, she believes it is crucial to keep reporting there. This week, friends and colleagues commemorated his commitment to his work with a 24-hour read-a-thon streamed live from the Journal. This highlighted how thoroughly reported his stories were, especially his coverage of the conflicting feelings of Russian draftees fighting in Ukraine and the opinions of numerous Russian voices regarding the war at home.

His detention, which Borzunova stated she views as a hostage kidnapping, turned become one of the several turning points that represent the transformations that have occurred in Russia over the past two years. She said, “He is holding up well, but this can’t go on much longer.”

Gershkovich’s parents have seen him twice in Russia since his arrest: once in a glass cage at the jail, and once in court. Both visits were watched over by guards. If not, they correspond with their son via letters and his Russian attorneys. They are aware that he maintains good physical health and that his pals bring him fresh produce every day while he is inside.

Although they appreciate the support from the Biden administration, they feel that it has been prolonged and express concern about his mental well-being following a year in detention.

Evan is not present, Milman declared. “We were hoping for a quicker finish even though we knew it would be a marathon.”

According to her, the family is choosing to be upbeat and trust the American administration for the time being since “pessimism will kill all hope.”

When asked what message she would try to convey to Putin, Danielle Gershkovich said she would try to highlight the “human cost” of her brother’s situation. “We are really missing him,” she murmured. “We do not wish to rob him of even a single day of his freedom. We also want him to return home.