Russia Tries a WSJ Reporter in a Secret Court

The Journal.

The Wall Street Journal

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🗓️ 17 July 2024

⏱️ 15 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich has been held in Russia for more than a year on an espionage accusation that he, the U.S. government and The Wall Street Journal vehemently deny. Gershkovich will appear in court Thursday for another hearing. WSJ’s Matthew Luxmoore explores what we know about the secret trial and why even the Gershkovich’s defense lawyers are restricted from publicly discussing it. Further Reading: - The Shadowy Judicial System That Controls the Fate of WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich Further Listening: - A WSJ Reporter Arrested in Russia - Russian Court Upholds WSJ Reporter’s Detention - Two Parents on a Crusade to Free Their Son Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Our colleague Evan Gerschkovic has been held in Russia for more than a year,
0:10.0	and his trial has now officially begun.
0:13.0	There's another hearing in his case tomorrow.
0:15.0	The Russian government has charged him with espionage,
0:18.0	a charge that Evan, the U.S. government,
0:21.0	and the Wall Street Journal vehemently deny.
0:25.8	Evans trial is happening behind closed doors.
0:29.3	When it's a secret trial, the defense team is very seriously hobbled by the circumstances in which these trials are held.
0:37.0	That's our colleague Matthew Luxmore.
0:39.0	The only people permitted inside the courtroom for these closed trials are the defendant's
0:44.8	defense team is lawyers, the prosecutor, and one or more judges. So no U.S.
0:51.8	diplomats were allowed, none of Evans friends, no U.S. diplomats were allowed, none of Evan's friends, no journalists.
0:56.4	The only other people allowed in the room?
0:58.9	Agents from the Federal Security Service, or the FSB, the agency that arrested Evan in the first place.
1:05.0	Is Evan going to get a fair trial?
1:08.0	Well, history has shown and especially in cases where the charges are espionage,
1:13.1	the chances of acquittal are almost nil.
1:16.9	It's essentially unheard of for a defendant in a case
1:21.3	so heavily overseen and orchestrated by the Federal Security Service to be acquitted.
1:27.0	Welcome to the Journal, our show about money, business, and power.
1:35.0	I'm Ryan Knutzen.
1:37.0	It's Wednesday, July 17th.
	...

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