Russia has agreed to a prisoner swap with the U.S. and allies that includes freeing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich after he was detained and convicted in the country over accusations of espionage, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
Former U.S. marine Paul Whelan and British activist Vladimir Kara-Murza are also set to be released in the deal, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Gershkovich was charged with espionage in 2023 and was sentenced to 16 years in prison, but the U.S. has maintained that he was wrongly imprisoned by the Russian government, denying allegations of spying.
Gershkovich’s conviction marked the first time since the Cold War that an American reporter was put on trial for espionage in Russia. The WSJ reporter was first arrested in March 2023 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
Kara-Murza, who holds dual citizenship in Russia, was handed a record 25-year sentence after being convicted of treason in Russia due to his repeated criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. Whelan was first detained in 2018 and was also convicted on espionage charges, receiving a 16-year sentence.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
Republished with permission from Daily Caller News Foundation
