Russia To Provide Consular Access To Arrested WSJ Journalist - Foreign Ministry

Faizan Hashmi Published March 31, 2023 | 08:33 PM

Moscow will provide consular access to the arrested Wall Street Journal Moscow bureau correspondent Evan Gershkovich in accordance with internal procedures, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2023) Moscow will provide consular access to the arrested Wall Street Journal Moscow bureau correspondent Evan Gershkovich in accordance with internal procedures, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

On Thursday, the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow told Sputnik that it has decided to arrest Gershkovich for two months over espionage suspicions. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that Gershkovich was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on a suspicion of espionage for the United States. According to FSB, Gershkovich collected classified information about the activities of one of Russian military-industrial complex firms.

"In accordance with our internal procedures, this (consular) access will, of course, be provided," Zakharova told the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

The United States exposed itself by reacting to the arrest of Gershkovich in such a way, and things will escalate if threats against Russian journalists continue, the diplomat added.

"They immediately move on to, indeed, threats, reprisals against Russian journalists. If this logic continues in the public space, the situation will escalate," Zakharova said.

The spokeswoman underscored that there is no investigation on the part of the United States in order to understand what happened to the journalist.

Following the arrest of Gershkovich over espionage suspicions on Thursday, the WSJ has called on the US authorities to consider such retaliatory measures as the expulsion of the Russian ambassador and all Russian journalists working in the country. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that all journalists who have valid accreditation in Russia can and continue their journalistic activities in the country, they do not face any restrictions.