Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Thursday, June 22, 2023

Russian court rejects WSJ reporter Gershkovich’s appeal against extended detention

By AFP 22 June 2023, 2:20 pm Edit

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands inside a glass cage before a hearing on his appeal against his extended detention, at the Moscow City Court, in Moscow on June 22, 2023. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP)

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands inside a glass cage before a hearing on his appeal against his extended detention, at the Moscow City Court, in Moscow on June 22, 2023. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP)

MOSCOW — A Russian court has rejected an appeal to release US reporter Evan Gershkovich from detention in Moscow, an AFP journalist in the courtroom says, ahead of his trial on contested espionage charges.

“The appeal is rejected,” the judge says, following a short hearing held behind closed doors. Gershkovich’s detention was extended in late May until August.