Blinken calls US journalist’s detention in Russia as ‘unacceptable’
TCN Service/London
US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken on Sunday termed the detention of US journalist Evan Gershkovichin, working with the Wall Street Journal, in Russia as unacceptable and called for his immediate release.
Earlier in the day, Blinken called on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to express displeasure over the incident and expressed ‘grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a US citizen journalist’.
US Department of State Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “The Secretary called for his (US journalist Evan Gershkovichin) immediate release.”
“Secretary Blinken further urged the Kremlin to immediately release wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan. The Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work,” he added.
Evan Gershkovichin was detained in Russia few days back on espionage charges while reportedly on an assignment of The Wall Street Journal in the country.
Brought up in New Jersey’s Russian speaking household, he had previously worked with The New York Times and Moscow Times.
