Kremlin: Complete Silence Needed for Possible Exchange of Imprisoned American Journalist

Moscow announced on Thursday, April 9, that complete silence is needed regarding the potential prisoner exchange involving Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for The Wall Street Journal who was arrested in Russia a year ago on suspicion of espionage. Mr. Gershkovich, 32, is the first American journalist to be detained on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. The Russian Federal Security Service arrested him a year ago. According to Reuters, the journalist, as well as The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government, deny the espionage charges, but Russia claims he was arrested while committing the crime. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, responded to questions about when the court would address Evan Gershkovich's case or whether a prisoner exchange would occur, stating to reporters, 'We have no information about the court - we do not have such a right.' The Russian official added, 'Regarding prisoner exchange issues, we have repeatedly emphasized that there are specific contacts, but they must be conducted in complete silence.' Mr. Gershkovich has been imprisoned in a high-security prison in Moscow closely linked to the Russian Federal Security Service since his arrest, and his detention has been extended until June 30 (three months from now). The U.S. Secretary of State has spoken with Paul Whelan, an American citizen imprisoned in Russia. The detention order for Evan Gershkovich, the American journalist, has been extended for another three months in Russia. Russia has also extended the detention of an American journalist from Radio Free Europe for another two months. A court in Russia has extended the detention of Evan Gershkovich, the American journalist.