Media Tour With Danielle Gershkovich Sister of WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich, Monday, Dec. 4

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 

News Advisory:

Booking Information: Contact Melanie Ierardi (202-662-7592 or [email protected]) to arrange a window.

News hook: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will reach a milestone of  250 days in a Russian prison on Dec. 4. In March, Evan was arrested by Russia, simply for doing his job as a journalist. He has been wrongfully detained for more than six months, falsely accused of espionage - a charge the US government and the Journal vehemently deny. His sister, Danielle, will talk about the family's experience since Evan's unjust arrest and how 250 days is a difficult reminder of the personal toll of his situation. Paul Beckett of The Wall Street Journal will provide the latest on Evan's case and any extension of his detention or appeals.

BACKGROUND:

In March 2023, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested by Russia while on a reporting trip and falsely accused of espionage, making him the first American journalist detained in Russia on such charges since the Cold War. Both the US government and the Journal vehemently deny the allegation. President Biden and news organizations around the world have joined the Journal in calling for Gershkovich's immediate release. Evan's pre-trial detention has been extended until at least Nov. 30.

Evan's arrest and wrongful detention is an attack on journalism and the free press. Such an attack has consequences not just for journalism and media but for governments and democracies around the world. Without press freedom there is no free society.

Evan was born and raised in New Jersey, the son of Soviet-born Jewish emigrés. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine in 2014. Before joining the Journal in January 2022, Evan was a reporter for Agence France-Presse and the Moscow Times. He was also a news assistant at the New York Times.

Call To Action:

• Show your support for Evan by using the #IStandWithEvan hashtag on social media.

Biographical Information

Danielle Gershkovich is Evan's older sister and speaks out on his behalf, in order to help keep Evan's story front and center. She lives in Philadelphia. She has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN and NPR. She recently spoke, alongside her parents, during a media stakeout at the United Nations leading into the UN General Assembly. In October she was part of a successful media tour with appearances on Morning Joe, Voice of America, Al Jazeera, Reuters TV and local affiliates in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Portland, ME, and Hartford CT.

Paul Beckett is an assistant editor at The Wall Street Journal, focused on the efforts supporting Evan Gershkovich. He was most recently the WSJ's Washington Bureau Chief and has served in multiple overseas postings, including Hong Kong and India. Paul has spoken publicly on Evan's case extensively, both in-person and on-air.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club