The Biden administration is preparing to officially declare Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as wrongfully detained in Russia, two U.S. officials told CNN, a move that will trigger new U.S. government resources, reports Kylie Atwood of CNN.
Atwood reports, “The designation, which is expected in the coming days, follows an ongoing internal review of the circumstances surrounding Gershkovich’s arrest, officials said. The State Department’s office of hostage affairs will then lead the US efforts to get Gershkovich home.
“Russian authorities detained Gershkovich last week and accused him of spying, signaling a significant ratcheting of both Moscow’s tensions with the United States and its campaign against foreign news media.
“Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said over the weekend that she hoped the US would swiftly label Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, saying that it would be an official recognition that the charges against the reporter are ‘entirely bogus.'”
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