Wall Street Journal leaves hole on front page for Evan Gershkovich

The Wall Street Journal left a hole on the front page of its Friday print edition to spotlight the first anniversary of reporter Evan Gershkovich being detained in Russia.

The front page of the paper is largely dominated by white space and a headline that says: “HIS STORY SHOULD BE HERE.” 

Gershkovich, who was based in Russia, was detained during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg. Gershkovich was charged with a suspicion of espionage and was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service. 

Part of the paper’s Friday coverage includes a letter penned by his family, titled “It Has Felt Like Holding Our Breath.” 

“Throughout all the challenges in this tumultuous time we’ve watched as Evan has faced this uncertainty, stuck in a small cell, with limited news of the world, without his freedom,” the family said in the letter. 

“We have watched him face this with his head held high because he is innocent. He inspires us to keep going every day, especially on those days where we receive his letters and see his smile from the courtroom camera.” 

Emma Tucker, the paper’s editor-in-chief, also published a letter Friday, pleading again for Gershkovich’s release and sharing optimism that the Biden administration will help bring him back home. 

“This one-year anniversary is an opportunity to express our admiration for our colleague and his family,” Tucker wrote. “It is a reminder of the dangers facing journalists worldwide as they pursue their essential mission. And it energizes us to continue the effort to ensure that this is the last milestone that Evan spends in prison.” 

President Biden also released a statement about Gershkovich on Friday morning.

“Journalism is not a crime, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter — risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine. Shortly after his wholly unjust and illegal detention, he drafted a letter to his family from prison, writing: ‘I am not losing hope,'” Biden said.

“As I have told Evan’s parents, I will never give up hope either. We will continue working every day to secure his release.”

Gershkovich, an American citizen, was charged with gathering state secrets of Russia’s military for the U.S. government. Press freedom groups, the U.S. government and his employer consider him wrongfully detained. 

Earlier this week, his detention was extended to June 30. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that “absolute silence” is necessary for prisoner swaps, potentially including Gershkovich, to happen. 

Former Marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva are also being held in Russia.