A Russian court on Friday sentenced US journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal to 16 years in prison for espionage.

It refers to EuronewsAccording to the report, the sentence will be served in a penal colony.

The 32-year-old journalist was accused of gathering information for the United States during a report in the city of Yekaterinburg, in the Ural Mountains, in March 2023. He has been detained ever since.

He was the first American journalist to be arrested on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War, notes the portal.

During the closing arguments, which took place behind closed doors on Thursday, Evan Gershkovich did not assume any guilt.

Unlike the opening of the case on June 26 in Yekaterinburg and the previous hearings in Moscow, when journalists were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before the sessions began, there was no access to the courtroom on Thursday, but the media were allowed into the courtroom this Friday for the verdict.

Russian courts convict more than 99% of the defendants and prosecutors can appeal against sentences they consider too lenient. They can even appeal acquittals.

"Evan's wrongful detention has been a scandal since his wrongful arrest 477 days ago and it must end now," the Wall Street Journal said in a statement released Thursday. "Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful trial, we continue to do everything we can to press for Evan's immediate release and to state unequivocally: Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now." (Source: Euro News. Image: DR)