100 Days: WSJ Reporter Still Held Captive in Russia on Bogus Espionage Charges as Media Rally to Renew Attention

It has been 100 days since Russia wrongfully detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and members of the media are marking the grim anniversary by renewing the call for his release.

Gershkovich was charged in March with spying on behalf of the United States government — charges that The Journal has denied. Fox Business devoted a segment to Gershkovich’s 100 days in captivity, with host Ashley Webster saying, “We think about him every day.”

Reporter Jeff Paul said he spoke with one of Gershkovich’s WSJ colleagues.

Just like the U.S. Government, his fellow colleagues all deny that he was involved in any sort of espionage, and they are pleading with anyone in Russia that has control of releasing Evan to not only set him free and let him go home, but get him back to work and get him back to where he belongs and that is, they say, the newsroom.

Journalists are using the 100-day mark to renew attention for Gershkovich’s case.

Recently, a spokesman for Vladimir Putin “hinted” that Russian and U.S. officials are working out a deal that may involve a prisoner swap involving Vladimir Dunayev, a Russian national who was extradited to the U.S. for alleged cybercrimes.

“We have already stated that there are certain contacts in progress regarding this issue, but we do not want to make them public,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said to TASS. “They must be followed and maintained in complete silence.”

In addition to calling for Gershkovich’s release, the U.S. is also working toward the release of former Marine Paul Whelan, who has been held in Russia on spying charges for some four years.

The U.S. Ambassador to Moscow, Lynne Tracy, met with Gershokovich this week. The State Department released a statement on the visit, saying Tracy found Gershkovich is “in good health and remains strong, despite his circumstances. U.S. Embassy officials will continue to provide all appropriate support to Mr. Gershkovich and his family, and we expect Russian authorities to provide continued consular access.”

Watch the Fox Business clip above.