Lawyers representing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia on spying charges, have appealed the latest extension of his arrest, Russian news agencies reported Friday. According to the website of Moscow’s Lefortovo Court, where Gershkovich has appeared before judicial officials, the US citizen’s defence team have appealed a recent decision to keep him in detention until August 30. Earlier this week the same court extended his arrest by three months in a hearing behind closed doors. The United States has called for his “immediate release” and his case has been seen as a serious breach of media freedoms. Gershkovich is held in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison, which is known for keeping detainees in near-total solitude.

Source: Wall Street Journal May 27, 2023 01:00 UTC