YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) 鈥� appeared in court in Russia on Thursday for the second hearing in his trial on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny.
The court said Gershkovich, 32, appeared for his trial, which is taking place behind closed doors in Yekaterinburg, a city in the Ural Mountains where the journalist was detained while on a reporting trip.
At the first hearing last month the court had adjourned until mid-August. But Gershkovich鈥檚 lawyers petitioned the court to hold the second hearing earlier, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti and independent news site Mediazona reported Tuesday, citing court officials.
Gershkovich鈥檚 employer and U.S. officials have denounced the trial as sham and illegitimate.
鈥淓van has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place,鈥� White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said last month.
Authorities arrested Gershkovich on March 29, 2023, and claimed without offering any evidence that he was gathering secret information for the U.S.
The Russian Prosecutor General鈥檚 office said last month that the journalist is accused of 鈥済athering secret information鈥� on orders from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a plant about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and other military equipment.
Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Russia has signaled the possibility of a prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, but it says a verdict 鈥� which could take months 鈥� would have to come first. Even after a verdict, it still could take months or years.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow and Washington's intelligence services are discussing Gershkovich's exchange according to Russian state news agency Tass.
Lavrov also suggested the 鈥渇uss鈥� made by 鈥渢he Americans鈥� about any possible exchange is not helping talks to secure Gershkovich's release.
Gershkovich is almost certain to be convicted. Russian courts convict more than 99% of the defendants who come before them, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient, and they even can appeal acquittals.
The from the USSR, Gershkovich is the first Western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia. The State Department has declared him 鈥渨rongfully detained,鈥� thereby committing the government to assertively seek his release.
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Burrows reported from London.
Kirill Zarubin And Emma Burrows, The Associated Press
