Special Counsel Dellinger Applauds Release of Wrongfully Detained Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich
August 01, 2024
Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger today applauded the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who was arrested and accused of espionage in Russia on March 29, 2023.
Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger today applauded the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who was arrested and accused of espionage in Russia on March 29, 2023.
In the absence of any evidence produced by Russia to support its allegations, the U.S. government, The Wall Street Journal, journalists, and press freedom groups around the world have called for his release. Prior to his wrongful detainment, Gershkovich had profiled Russian dissidents, covered the struggles of Russia's economy, and written first-hand accounts about the toll of the Ukraine invasion on Russian border towns. Gershkovich's arrest and “conviction" were widely seen as a tactic to silence free press.
Special Counsel Dellinger: “OSC works to ensure federal whistleblowers are heard and protected. Journalists, like whistleblowers, play a key role in revealing wrongdoing and promoting accountability. Independent, truth-seeking journalism and whistleblowing are hallmarks of free and functioning democracies.
“Evan Gershkovich was wrongfully detained for more than a year without a shred of inculpatory evidence proffered by Russia. No journalist should be imprisoned for doing their job, just like no whistleblower should face reprisal for telling the truth. I am thankful for Evan's release and for all who helped secure his freedom."