Russia is releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the US, according to people familiar with the situation.
The men, jailed in Russia on espionage charges they and the US deny, are en route to destinations outside of Russia. The US and its allies will return prisoners to Russia that they hold under the deal, the people said, asking for anonymity to discuss matters that aren’t yet public.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March of last year while on a reporting assignment in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the CIA. He and the newspaper rejected the accusations.
He was convicted last month, the first time since the Cold War that Russia had put a US reporter on trial for espionage.
Whelan, who was detained in 2018, was sentenced to 16 years in 2020 on spying charges he denied.
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How would you feel if a family member was detained in a foreign country on charges you believed to be unjust?
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Do you think it’s fair for countries to swap prisoners, potentially releasing people who might have genuinely committed crimes, to secure the freedom of their citizens?
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How does the idea of being accused of a crime in another country, where you may not fully understand the legal system or language, make you feel?
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If you were in charge, what factors would you consider most important in deciding whether to engage in a prisoner swap?
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Considering the risks journalists face abroad, do you believe the freedom of the press is worth these risks?