WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich arrested in espionage case

"The court granted the request of the investigation and chose a preventive measure for Gershkovich in the form of detention until May 29", - the press service of the court said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

The court session was held in closed mode, which is typical for the consideration of cases concerning state secrets. In addition, a pause was made due to the evacuation of the court after a false report about the "mining" of the building.

The lawyer of the WSJ correspondent Daniel Berman said that he was not allowed to consider the petition for the arrest of the defendant. He suggested that the interests of the American could be represented by a defender by appointment.

"They say that there is already some kind of lawyer, most likely by appointment, the assistant (judge) said that they are not going to help me in any way", - Berman told reporters (quoted by RIA Novosti).

In his opinion, the client's journalistic activity will be passed off as espionage — "you don't even need to look into the case materials."

The detention of the journalist became known this morning. He was detained by FSB officers in Yekaterinburg. The WSJ correspondent is charged with collecting data representing a state secret about one of the military-industrial complex enterprises. Press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that Gershkovich was detained red-handed.