A Russian court has rescheduled the closed-door trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich at the request of his defense team, as reported by the independent news website Mediazona on Tuesday. The Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg was originally set to resume hearings on Aug. 13 but has now been rescheduled for Thursday.
Gershkovich, the first Western journalist to be arrested in Russia on spying charges since the Cold War, faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, a charge both he and his employer deny. The trial, which began in June – 15 months after his arrest, has gained international attention with the United States considering Gershkovich to be wrongfully detained.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested a potential prisoner exchange with the United States involving Gershkovich. The Kremlin claims to have caught him red-handed but has not disclosed further details. The Wall Street Journal has denounced the espionage accusations as baseless, emphasizing the importance of impartial journalism in the face of government suppression.