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U.N. Panel Condemns Russia’s Arbitrary Arrest of Wall Street Journal Reporter
The U.N. panel strongly criticizes Russia for the unjust detention of a Wall Street Journal journalist, highlighting concerns over press freedom and human rights violations.
Russia’s Arbitrary Arrest of Wall Street Journal Reporter Condemned by U.N. Panel
Russia’s arbitrary arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been condemned by a United Nations panel, which stated that the arrest was a means to punish him for his reporting on the war in Ukraine. The U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, in a statement released on Tuesday, emphasized that Gershkovich must be released immediately.
The U.N. panel, comprised of legal scholars and lawyers, pointed out that Russia failed to provide any factual or legal basis for the espionage charges against Gershkovich. Furthermore, his legal team was deprived of the opportunity to advise him on his rights under international law.
According to the group, the arrest of Gershkovich was carried out under the pretext of espionage, but the real motive was to retaliate against his reporting on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The Working Group requested Russia to clarify the legal grounds for Gershkovich’s detention, but received no response.
Almar Latour, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, stated that the U.N. opinion recognizes that Russia is violating international law by imprisoning Gershkovich for his journalism. The panel also criticized Russia for holding a closed-door hearing for Gershkovich’s case without sufficient justification and for restricting his access to consular assistance.