U.S. Reporter Arrested In Russia On Spying Charges Will Stay Detained Until New Year

Evan Gershkovich , the U.S. reporter who was arrested in Russia earlier this year on espionage charges, will remain in pre-trial detention until Jan. 30, a Russian court ruled.

He appeared in court Thursday wearing a dark sweater, according to The Moscow Times .

Gershkovich, who works for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested at the end of March while on a reporting trip in Russia. He denies the allegations, as do his employer and the U.S. government.

“Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow City court today, where an appeal of the recent extension of his pre-trial detention was denied once again,” the Wall Street Journal said in a statement on Thursday. “While we expected this outcome, it’s important that we appeal these rulings to call out the absurd nature of the charge. Evan has been wrongfully detained for more than 250 days for simply doing his job as a journalist, and any portrayal to the contrary is fiction. We will stand with Evan and his family for as long as it takes and continue to demand his immediate release.”

His detention has been extended several times. Thursday’s court hearing and previous hearings have been held behind closed doors because prosecutors say details of the criminal case are classified. Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Gershkovich is a U.S. citizen. Both of his parents fled the Soviet Union and migrated to the U.S. before he was born.

In September, Gershkovich’s parents visited the journalist and told CNN that he was “doing really well” under the circumstances. A bipartisan group of senators introduced a resolution in September urging Russia to release him.