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House Ramps Up Pressure on Russia to Release Journalist Evan Gershkovich

The House Foreign Affairs Committee members said Russia has “no grounds” for keeping Evan Gershkovich detained.

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee introduced a resolution on Tuesday urging for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist who Russia wrongfully detained on accusations of espionage during a reporting trip. Led by committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), the bipartisan group demanded Moscow provide Gershkovich with complete consular access while in detention and, overall, refrain from imprisoning reporters in an attempt to curb independent press. The representatives—which include Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ), and Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA)—called upon U.S. officials such as President Joe Biden, to increase the pressure on Russia to free Gershkovich. Paul Whelan, another American captured by Russia in 2018, also appears in the resolution as a man in need of immediate release. “Russia has no grounds to hold Evan Gershkovich prisoner, he’s an innocent American journalist,” the lawmakers said in a statement. “We are proud to introduce this resolution calling on the Russian government to release Evan and other wrongfully detained Americans immediately and return them to their families.”