Back in late February, I chose to use this space to write about Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

I had only been on the job for a few weeks; it was actually my third column since taking over here at the Tribune Chronicle and The Vindicator. Simply put, I was still finding my voice in many facets of this job.

However, after listening to Wall Street Journal assistant Editor Paul Beckett speak about Gershkovich’s situation at an event hosted by the Youngstown Press Club at the DeYor Performing Arts Center in downtown Youngstown, I felt implored to write about it. I had suddenly found my voice because it was something I felt passionate about and I still do. That is why I’m renewing my pledge to Stand with Evan as his trial is set to begin in Russia on June 26.

The announcement was made earlier this week, and according to a report from The Associated Press, the trial will be held behind closed doors.

Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen who is a foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in Russia, has been in prison since March 2023 and could face up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted. The AP report states Gershkovich is accused of “gathering secret information” on order from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, which is a facility that produces and repairs military equipment.

When Beckett spoke to members of the press club and other attendees in February, he said Gershkovich is the first American journalist to be charged with espionage — a charge that the Wall Street Journal continues to deny — in Russia since the Cold War.

U.S. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said, “Evan has done nothing wrong. He should never have been arrested in the first place. Journalism is not a crime.”

Miller hit the nail on the head with the last part of that quote. He’s right, journalism isn’t a crime and Gershkovich should have never been arrested. As journalists, our job is to become a trustworthy source of information for readers so they can make informed decisions about important topics. It’s what makes the freedom of the press so important and this infringement by the Russian government takes it to another level.

We, as journalists, must be able to act independently and be able to freely present our readers with the truth. Gershkovich was trying to do just that and he was jailed for it. He profiled Russian dissidents, wrote extensively about the Kremlin’s war efforts and reported from Russian border towns on the war’s toll since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Gershkovich was arrested by the Federal Security Service, or FSB, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg.

This is how it seems to go in Russia though. Beckett described Vladimir Putin’s practice of taking hostages as a “business” to gain leverage and get what he wants. During the event, Beckett referenced Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who has been behind bars in a Russian prison since 2018 and is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges, along with WNBA star Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed, both of whom have returned home.

The AP report also stated Putin has said the U.S. is “taking energetic steps” to secure Gershkovich’s release. However, he also alluded that it would only happen with a potential prisoner swap. The Biden Administration has sought to negotiate Gershkovich’s release, but Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow would consider a prisoner swap only after a trial verdict.

Gershkovich has been in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison for more than a year and with his trial beginning in the coming days, I can only hope that something will be done to bring him home.

Until then, I’ll continue to stand with Evan.

Have an interesting news story? Contact Greg Macafee by email at

gmacafee@tribtoday.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @greg_macafee.