U.S., 45 UN member states condemn Russia over clamp on journalism

Demand release of WSJ reporter, Gershkovich, others

United States of America has flayed the Russian government over attempt to gag the media and freedom of the press, demanding the immediate release of Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter, Evan Gershkovich.

The American government led other 45 United Nations (UN) member states, which is a coalition of over 40 countries, to denounce wrongful detention of the reporter.

U.S. Representative to the UN, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, led the representatives of member states in New York, yesterday, to declare unflinching support for media freedom.

Gershkovich, 31, was arrested in the City of Yekaterinburg in the course of duty and charged with spying by the Russian government, an offence that could earn him 20 years jail.

In a statement jointly signed by the UN representatives, they denounced Russia’s crackdown on freedom of expression, including unjust detentions of journalists.

“Let this statement send a clear message: Journalism is not a crime. We, along with more than 40 other countries, are calling on Russia to immediately release Evan Gershkovich and to end its draconian crackdown on free press.

“In the face of these efforts to limit and contain the media, the United States will continue to advocate for press freedom worldwide,” said Thomas-Greenfield.

She added: “The freedom of access to information and the work of journalists and media is fundamental to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

Thomas-Greenfield also noted that Russia has wrongfully detained not only Evan Gershkovich, but also others including Paul Whelan, stressing that the U.S. would not stop fighting for their release.

The UN representatives noted “the widespread outcry from both Russian and international journalists in response to this recent arrest, including an open letter signed by dozens of prominent independent media figures from Russia that calls the case against him preposterous and unjust.”

The joint statement was led by the U.S. and signed by Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland and Ireland.

Others were: Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.