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Evan Gershkovich describes Russian prison ordeal in first interview since release

Published 22h ago · Updated 14h ago

Covered in 2 countries

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Evan Gershkovich's first interview reveals the psychological reality of being held as a state hostage in Russia's Lefortovo Prison.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has spoken publicly for the first time about his 16-month imprisonment in Russia, describing his arrest as being lured into a trap. Gershkovich, who was freed in a multinational prisoner swap in August 2024, detailed his time in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison, where he was kept in near-total isolation. He recalled realizing he was a political pawn when Russian security services showed no interest in interrogating him about espionage, focusing instead on his value as a hostage.

Gershkovich was arrested by Russian security agents in Yekaterinburg in March 2023 while on a reporting assignment.
He spent 16 months in Lefortovo Prison, mostly confined to a small cell with very limited human contact.
The journalist realized he was a hostage when FSB agents did not torture or seriously interrogate him about the espionage charges.
He was released in August 2024 as part of a complex prisoner exchange between Russia and Western nations.
Gershkovich described the ongoing psychological toll of his confinement, noting that he still carries the mental habits of prison life.

By the numbers

16 mthsspent in Russian custody

Timeline

Mar 29, 2023Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is arrested by Russian security forces.
Aug 1, 2024Gershkovich is released from Russian custody in a multinational prisoner swap.
Sep 29Gershkovich describes his arrest and 16-month ordeal in his first major interview.

Why it matters

Evan Gershkovich's arrest in 2023 marked the first time Russia had accused an American journalist of espionage since the Cold War, highlighting the growing dangers for foreign reporters in the country and the Kremlin's use of hostage diplomacy.

What outlets agree on

Evan Gershkovich was lured into a trap and arrested by Russian authorities, spending 16 months in prison before being released in a prisoner swap.

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In this story

Evan GershkovichPress freedomRussiaHuman rightsThe Wall Street JournalLefortovo PrisonFSB

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