Russia acknowledges US journalist still not granted consular access

Moscow: Two weeks after Evan Gershkovich’s arrest, Russia’s deputy foreign minister on Wednesday revealed that the US journalist had not been granted consular services. The Wall Street Journal journalist was arrested in Russia on claims of espionage, which he denies. The US State Department has said it has sought consular access to Gershkovich since learning of his arrest. “The question (of consular access) is under review,” the deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, was cited as saying by state-run agencies. “We are acting in accordance with our laws, taking into account consular conventions of course,” Ryabkov said. “We won’t tolerate any attempts to put pressure” on Russia, he added. Russia had last week charged Gershkovich with spying, in a case certain to worsen Moscow’s diplomatic feud with Washington over the war in Ukraine and likely to further isolate Russia. The newspaper denied the allegations and demanded the immediate release of “trusted and dedicated reporter” Evan Gershkovich. The White House said the State Department was in direct contact with the Russian government over his detention and urged US citizens living or travelling in Russia to depart immediately. “These espionage charges are ridiculous. The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a news briefing. Gershkovich, a 31-year-old who has worked in Russia as a journalist for six years, is the highest-profile American arrested there since basketball star Brittney Griner, who was freed in December after 10 months in jail on drugs charges. On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden declared Gershkovich’s imprisonment “illegal” after the State Department classified the reporter as “wrongfully detained”. Ryabkov said that “for us, the status assigned in Washington does not matter”. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed the “hype by US officials and Western media around Gershkovich”. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.