Russian court jails US reporter Gershkovich for 16 years in spying case his employer calls a sham

Video of Friday’s hearing released by the court showed Gershkovich, dressed in a T-shirt and black trousers, standing in a glass courtroom cage as he listened to the verdict being read out in rapid-fire legalese for nearly four minutes. (AFP/File)
Video of Friday’s hearing released by the court showed Gershkovich, dressed in a T-shirt and black trousers, standing in a glass courtroom cage as he listened to the verdict being read out in rapid-fire legalese for nearly four minutes. (AFP/File)
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Updated 19 July 2024

Russian court jails US reporter Gershkovich for 16 years in spying case his employer calls a sham

Russian court jails US reporter Gershkovich for 16 years in spying case his employer calls a sham
  • Gershkovich and his employer say he did nothing wrong, Kremlin says he was caught ‘red-handed’
  • The decision is likely to heighten the already tense relations between Russia and the West

MOSCOW: A Russian court found US reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage on Friday and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony in what his employer, the Wall Street Journal, called “a disgraceful sham conviction.”
Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American who denied any wrongdoing, went on trial in the city of Yekaterinburg last month after being accused of trying to gather sensitive information about a tank factory.
He was the first US journalist accused of spying in Russia since the Cold War, and his arrest in March 2023 prompted many US and other Western correspondents to leave Moscow.
Video of Friday’s hearing released by the court showed Gershkovich, dressed in a T-shirt and black trousers, standing in a glass courtroom cage as he listened to the verdict being read out in rapid-fire legalese for nearly four minutes.
Asked by the judge if he had any questions, he replied “Nyet.”
The judge, Andrei Mineyev, said the nearly 16 months Gershkovich had already served since his arrest would count toward the 16-year sentence.
Mineyev ordered the destruction of the reporter’s mobile phone and paper notebook. The defense has 15 days to appeal.
The White House and State Department had no immediate comment.
“This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist,” the Journal said in a statement.
“We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evan’s release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he’s released. This must end now.”
Gershkovich’s friend, reporter Pjotr Sauer of Britain’s Guardian newspaper, posted on X: “Russia has just sentenced an innocent man to 16 years in a high security prison. I have no words to describe this farce. Let’s get Evan out of there.”
Friday’s hearing was only the third in the trial. The proceedings, apart from the sentencing, were closed to the media on the grounds of state secrecy.
Espionage cases often take months to handle and the unusual speed at which the trial was held behind closed doors has stoked speculation that a long-discussed US-Russia prisoner exchange deal may be in the offing, involving Gershkovich and potentially other Americans detained in Russia.
The Kremlin, when asked by Reuters earlier on Friday about the possibility of such an exchange, declined to comment: “I’ll leave your question unanswered,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Among those Russia would like to free is Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany for murdering an exiled Chechen-Georgian dissident in a Berlin park in 2019.
Officers of the FSB security service arrested Gershkovich on March 29, 2023, at a steakhouse in Yekaterinburg, 900 miles (1,400 km) east of Moscow. He has since been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.
Russian prosecutors had accused Gershkovich of gathering secret information on the orders of the US Central Intelligence Agency about a company that manufactures tanks for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
The Uralvagonzavod factory, which he is accused of spying on, has been sanctioned by the West. Based in the city of Nizhny Tagil near Yekaterinburg, it has publicly spoken of producing T-90M battle tanks and modernizing T-72B3M tanks.
Earlier on Friday, the court unexpectedly said it would pronounce its verdict within hours after state prosecutors demanded Gershkovich be jailed for 18 years for spying. The maximum sentence for the crime he was accused of is 20 years.
Russia usually concludes legal proceedings against foreigners before making any deals on exchanging them.

’WRONGFULLY DETAINED’
Gershkovich, his newspaper and the US government all rejected the allegations against him and said he was merely doing his job as a reporter accredited by the Foreign Ministry to work in Russia.
State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to speak publicly about negotiations on a prisoner exchange, but said Washington was seeking the release of Gershkovich and another jailed American, former US Marine Paul Whelan, as soon as possible.
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is open to a prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich, and that contacts with the United States have taken place but must remain secret.
Friends who have exchanged letters with Gershkovich say he has remained resilient and cheerful throughout his imprisonment, occupying himself by reading classics of Russian literature.
At court appearances over the past 16 months — most recently with his head shaven — he has frequently smiled and nodded at reporters he used to work with before he himself became the story.
Since Russian troops entered Ukraine in 2022, Moscow and Washington have conducted just one high profile prisoner swap: Russia released basketball star Brittney Griner, held for smuggling cannabis, in return for arms dealer Viktor Bout, jailed for terrorism-related offenses in the United States.
Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin adviser, said he believed Gershkovich’s conviction would encourage the few Western journalists still in Moscow to leave.
“The 16-year sentence...is a very heavy one,” he said. “Now many Western journalists will want to leave Russia for fear that they may become victims of a hybrid war between Russia and the West.”


‘Bay of Bengal live’: Bangladeshi fishermen go viral showing life at sea

In this photo shared by Shahid Sardar on July 7, 2025, his colleague holds up a catch aboard a fishing vessel in Bay of Bengal
In this photo shared by Shahid Sardar on July 7, 2025, his colleague holds up a catch aboard a fishing vessel in Bay of Bengal
Updated 1 min 59 sec ago

‘Bay of Bengal live’: Bangladeshi fishermen go viral showing life at sea

In this photo shared by Shahid Sardar on July 7, 2025, his colleague holds up a catch aboard a fishing vessel in Bay of Bengal
  • Fishermen-turned-influencers have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media
  • Content focuses on fishing techniques, daily life on the boats, and marine life

DHAKA: When Shahid Sardar started his Facebook page four years ago, he wanted to share his experience aboard a fishing boat. He did not expect the millions of views he would soon attract as he tapped into a content niche that is rapidly gaining popularity among Bangladeshis: life at sea.

Sardar, 35, lives with his wife and son in the coastal Chittagong district in south-eastern Bangladesh. He started to work as a fisherman in 2013, after leaving a job at a hospital canteen in the capital, Dhaka.

As the chief cook on a vessel with a 50-member crew, Sardar sails across the Bay of Bengal on month-long voyages in search of fish. When his videos documenting deep-sea fishing methods and daily life on the boat began gaining traction, he expanded his content to show various marine species found in Bangladeshi waters — many of which are not widely known.

“I think people generally enjoy fish, especially the kinds caught at sea, which are not usually found in local markets,” Sardar told Arab News.

“The beauty of the deep sea also draws people to my videos. For most viewers, these sights are rare and unfamiliar. They don’t have this experience themselves.”

Posting as BD Fisherman on Facebook, he has more than 360,000 followers. His other account, Fisherman Shahid, has another 240,000.

When two of his videos went viral in December 2023, Facebook approved monetization for his page.

“My first video that went viral showed a bulk of yellowfin tuna and some shrimp. The fish were just dropped on the deck ... it was the rainy season. People liked that video a lot. Within 24 hours, it got 3 million views,” he said.

“As I started receiving some money from the videos, I became more motivated to keep uploading and people started liking my videos more and more.”

He now earns an average of about $500 a month from his two pages. That is in addition to his salary of $120 per voyage, plus bonuses based on the catch — about 60 cents per tonne of fish sold in the market.

“In my locality, everyone knows me as Fisherman Shahid. Wherever I go, people come to me just to know how they can earn through making videos and posting them on social media platforms,” Sardar said. “Recently, the friends of my 7th-grader son also visited my home to learn about my video making.”

While for fellow fishers, Sardar’s content has been an inspiration to start their own pages, for some other followers, like Zaved Ahmed, a Bangladeshi migrant worker in , watching his videos is a reminder of his own roots.

“I was born in Cox’s Bazar, a coastal area of Bangladesh, and fishing was our family’s profession. Since 2023, I have been living in Jeddah, which is on the coast of the Red Sea. It seems that sea life is something in my blood. That’s why I love watching Sardar’s videos,” he said.

“Whenever I watch his videos, my mind travels to the sea with the fishing boat, as if I were experiencing it with my own eyes.”

But most of those who follow Sardar and other fishermen-influencers have never experienced life at sea.

Watching it on their mobile or laptop screens helps them connect with the sector that each year contributes about 3.5 percent to Bangladesh’s GDP and is the main source of animal protein in the Bangladeshi diet.

“I think most people generally love the sea, but they don’t have the opportunity to witness the mysteries of the deep sea,” said Karimul Maola, a follower of Sardar from Chittagong.

“Through Sardar’s videos, I’ve learned about many seafish that were previously unknown to me. Also, his videos have given me some idea about how a fishing vessel normally operates — something most people don’t know about.”

There is a similar sentiment among the followers of other Bangladeshi fishermen who have shot to social media fame.

On the page of Ehsanul Haque Shaon, a fisherman who has 172,000 followers on Facebook, one follower says watching his video was “like the Bay of Bengal live in front of my eyes!” while another says in amazement that watching the content made them realize that “life is very interesting.”

“How we survive on a boat in the Bay of Bengal,” a video on Fishiib, a YouTube channel focusing on showing the life of fishermen in the Bay of Bengal, has received more than 10 million views in six months.

“I am truly amazed by how these fishermen adapt to life at sea. They face constant challenges like harsh weather and limited resources, yet they find ways to survive and thrive,” one viewer said.

“Their resilience and ability to work together as a community is truly inspiring. It’s a glimpse into a way of life that most of us can only imagine.”


Condé Nast expands Middle East footprint with full acquisition of WIRED ME

Condé Nast expands Middle East footprint with full acquisition of WIRED ME
Updated 07 July 2025

Condé Nast expands Middle East footprint with full acquisition of WIRED ME

Condé Nast expands Middle East footprint with full acquisition of WIRED ME
  • Transition marks the magazine’s move from a licensing agreement with Dubai-based publisher Nervora to direct ownership by Condé Nast

LONDON: Condé Nast has acquired full ownership of WIRED Middle East, strengthening its presence in the region and bringing the tech, science, and culture magazine into its portfolio of wholly owned titles in Dubai, Arab News has learned.

The transition, announced on Monday, marks the magazine’s move from a licensing agreement with Dubai-based publisher Nervora to direct ownership by Condé Nast.

“Bringing WIRED Middle East into the Condé Nast Middle East portfolio reflects both the region’s rapid evolution and our commitment to spotlighting the ideas and breakthroughs shaping its future,” said Thomas Khoury, Managing Director, Condé Nast Middle East.

“With its authority across technology, science, business and culture, WIRED is uniquely positioned to lead these conversations in the region.

Launched in 2019, WIRED ME has covered regional trends, breakthroughs, and major events such as Expo 2020 Dubai.

Condé Nast said the acquisition marks the next step in the brand’s growth as it looks to expand alongside the region’s fast-developing tech sector.

While the company suggested it will remain commitment to the print edition - currently published quarterly and claiming a readership of over 100,000, according to Advert On Click - it said WIRED Middle East would now serve as its flagship digital-first platform for tech, science, and culture in the region.

Katie Drummond, WIRED’s Global Editorial Director, said the brand is eager to expand its editorial coverage of the Middle East, growing hand-in-hand with the region.

“This is a region driving some of the most dynamic and consequential stories in science, technology, business, and culture,” she said. “We’re excited to build a team dedicated to telling those stories with the ambition and world-class journalism that defines WIRED.” 

The move follows a similar shift earlier this year, when Condé Nast took direct control of Vogue Arabia and GQ Middle East, also previously operated under license by Nervora.

The reshuffle has been widely viewed as a strategic realignment of the Arab fashion and media landscape.

With the addition of WIRED ME, Condé Nast’s full Middle East portfolio now includes Vogue Arabia, GQ Middle East, Architectural Digest Middle East, and Condé Nast Traveller Middle East.


Ex-presenter Gary Lineker criticizes BBC for dropping Gaza documentary

Ex-presenter Gary Lineker criticizes BBC for dropping Gaza documentary
Updated 05 July 2025

Ex-presenter Gary Lineker criticizes BBC for dropping Gaza documentary

Ex-presenter Gary Lineker criticizes BBC for dropping Gaza documentary
  • It was the first time he had publicly criticized the BBC since his departure, which followed backlash over a social media post
  • He accused BBC executives of bowing to pressure “from the top”

LONDON: Former BBC presenter and football star Gary Lineker said the broadcaster “should hold its head in shame” after deciding not to show a documentary on medics working in Gaza.

Accusing executives of bowing to pressure “from the top,” Lineker made the remarks during a private screening of “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack,” where media reports say he was visibly moved.

It was the first time he had publicly criticized the BBC since his departure, which followed backlash over a social media post perceived as having antisemitic connotations — something he later apologized for.

After the screening, Lineker said the documentary, originally commissioned by the broadcasting giant, “needed to be seen. It really did need to be seen.”

He added: “I think the BBC should hold its head in shame. I’ve worked for the corporation for 30 years; to see the way it’s declined in the last year or two has been devastating really. I’ve defended it and defended it against claims that it is partial.”

The documentary, which features first-hand accounts from Palestinian medical workers and investigates alleged attacks on hospitals and healthcare facilities, was pulled by the BBC over concerns about impartiality. The decision sparked an outcry from pro-Palestinian groups after another documentary on Gaza’s children was taken down when it emerged the main narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

Lineker said that while the BBC “talks about impartiality all the time,” the reality was that the broadcaster was “bowing to pressure from the top,” something he described as deeply concerning.

“I think the time is coming when a lot of people will have to answer for this,” he added, warning that “complicity is something that will come to many.”

The BBC has recently been accused of biased, pro-Israel coverage of the war in Gaza.

Earlier this week hundreds of media professionals, including over 100 current BBC staff, accused the broadcaster of acting as “PR for the Israeli government.” In an open letter, they raised concerns over the role of board member Sir Robbie Gibb in the BBC’s coverage of Gaza.

Gibb helped lead the consortium that purchased The Jewish Chronicle in 2020 and served as a director until August 2024.

The letter described his position on the BBC board — including on the editorial standards committee — as “untenable,” citing the Jewish Chronicle’s alleged history of publishing “anti-Palestinian and often racist content.”


July edition of National Geographic Al-Arabiya explores nomadic heritage, digital archaeology, ‘maligned’ wildlife

July edition of National Geographic Al-Arabiya explores nomadic heritage, digital archaeology, ‘maligned’ wildlife
Updated 05 July 2025

July edition of National Geographic Al-Arabiya explores nomadic heritage, digital archaeology, ‘maligned’ wildlife

July edition of National Geographic Al-Arabiya explores nomadic heritage, digital archaeology, ‘maligned’ wildlife
  • Latest issue examines humanity’s evolving relationship with the environment
  • “The New Archaeologists” profiles social media influencers turned amateur archaeologists along London’s Thames riverbanks

ABU DHABI: The July edition of National Geographic Al Arabiya examines the complex interplay between humanity and environmental forces while highlighting exceptional cultural narratives and transformative global social movements.

The magazine’s 178th issue begins with an extensive feature on Africa’s largest nomadic group, the Fulani — some 20 million people who traverse the continent’s vast desert areas. These modern-day Bedouins continue their ancestral migrations with herds of livestock, journeying from Africa’s eastern reaches to its western borders in an eternal search for water and grazing lands.

The investigation examines how this ancient pastoral society confronts 21st-century challenges, from climate change to social upheaval, while working to elevate women’s roles in their deeply rooted herding culture.

A striking counterpoint emerges in “The New Archaeologists” which profiles an unexpected phenomenon along London’s Thames riverbanks — social media influencers turned amateur archaeologists. These digital-age treasure hunters have sparked both remarkable discoveries and heated debates over proper archaeological protocols.

The feature captures an emerging conflict between grassroots passion for historical discovery and established scientific methodology in an era where technology democratizes access to archaeological exploration.

The issue’s centerpiece investigation, “Our Maligned Wildlife,” challenges readers to reconsider nature’s most misunderstood creatures. From the notoriously pungent and ferocious honey badger to small-eyed vultures and scruffy aye-aye lemurs, the feature argues these “ugly” animals play crucial ecological roles — and that their supposed flaws may actually be evolutionary strengths.

Readers then journey to Romania’s Transylvanian countryside, where traditional farming communities maintain centuries-old agricultural practices despite mounting pressure from modernization.

The magazine concludes with a photographic retrospective marking New York City’s 400th anniversary, tracing the metropolis’s remarkable evolution from a small settlement to a global powerhouse pulsing with life and renewal.


BBC asks senior music team to ‘step back’ from daily duties after Glastonbury row

BBC asks senior music team to ‘step back’ from daily duties after Glastonbury row
Updated 04 July 2025

BBC asks senior music team to ‘step back’ from daily duties after Glastonbury row

BBC asks senior music team to ‘step back’ from daily duties after Glastonbury row
  • BBC said that it would no longer live-broadcast musical performances deemed “high risk”

LONDON: The BBC has asked senior staff overseeing music and events to step back from their duties amid a backlash over anti-Israel chants during Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set, the broadcaster reported.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the BBC said that it would no longer live-broadcast musical performances deemed “high risk,” calling the editorial team’s decision not to cut the livestream “an error.”

During his act, the punk duo’s frontman, Bobby Vylan, chanted “Death, death to the IDF.” The BBC said that the band’s act was among the seven acts “deemed high risk” in advance and “suitable for live streaming with appropriate mitigations.”

“The team prioritized stopping the performance from featuring on-demand. This meant that no downloads of Bob Vylan’s set were available on iPlayer or Sounds,” the BBC said.

“However, the live feed, which was showing subsequent performances from other acts on the same Glastonbury stage, remained up until it was amended shortly after 8pm while teams worked on a technical solution.”

The broadcaster vowed to take action against “those found to be responsible for those failings in the live broadcast,” reiterating that there is “no place for antisemitism.”

British police said earlier this week that a criminal investigation was launched into the remarks at the festival in southwestern England.

The remarks drew controversy, with pro-Palestinian groups criticizing what they saw as selective outrage, highlighting the scrutiny over Bob Vylan’s chants against the IDF while atrocities in Gaza went largely unaddressed.

In a post on social media, Bob Vylan said: “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine.”

The band noted that the backlash was “a distraction from the real story of the atrocities happening in Gaza. “Whatever sanctions we receive will be the distraction.”

The BBC has faced criticism from pro-Palestinian campaigners who accuse the broadcaster of pro-Israel bias in its coverage of the war in Gaza.

Last week, the BBC pulled the documentary “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack,” which featured first-hand accounts from Palestinian medical workers and investigated alleged attacks on hospitals and healthcare facilities in the enclave.

The broadcaster said that the decision was made because the film “risked creating a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC.”