NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Monday for the "immediate release" of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained since Thursday by Russia, which accuses him of espionage.
“His arrest is very worrying. It is important to respect the freedom of the press, the rights of journalists, the right to ask questions and to do their job. That is why we call for his immediate release,” the official said. Norwegian during a press conference.
Jens Stoltenberg said he expected the Wall Street Journal journalist's detention to be discussed during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Tuesday, the day Finland will become the 31st member of this organization.
The head of Russian diplomacy and his American counterpart, Sergei Lavrov and Antony Blinken, spoke about him on Sunday during a rare telephone conversation.
Mr Lavrov reiterated the espionage charges leveled against the journalist by the Russian authorities, while Mr Blinken again demanded his immediate release, castigating an "unacceptable detention".
Moscow also denounced the "media hype" in Western countries caused by this arrest, which comes in a context of increased repression in Russia against the press since the start in February 2022 of the offensive against Ukraine.
Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old Russian-speaking reporter, dismissed the charges against him during a hearing in a Moscow court on Thursday, according to Russian news agency Tass.
The American journalist has been remanded in custody in a Moscow prison until May 29, a measure that can be extended pending a possible trial.
03/04/2023 14:20:21 - Bruxelles (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
