A Moscow insider threatened wall street journal to stop publishing alleged “misinformation” about Russia, or else Ivan Gershkovich—the Journal of Reporters detained will face consequences, according to government media outlets RIA Novosti.
Speaking to the Russian publication, the source warned that if magazine If it doesn’t stop publishing the misinformation, it would be a sign that the paper is not interested in Gershkovich’s future.
“If the Wall Street Journal continues to engage in non-journalistic activities, publishing misinformation about Russia, it would mean that the editors are not at all interested in the fate of Gershkovich,” “informed sources,” cited by RIA did not recognize, reportedly said.
The threat, published on Friday, could not be immediately confirmed. State Department and wall street journal Requests for comment were not immediately returned.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Gershkovich in March while he was on a reporting trip, alleging that he was conducting espionage activities on behalf of the United States government. State Department and wall street journal has vehemently denied that claim and has been working for his release ever since.
The alleged threat comes just days after a Russian court ordered that Gershkovitch be held for three more months. Lawyers representing him appealed the order on Thursday, according to Russian court records obtained by The Daily Beast.
Russia has sought to minimize public conversation about Gershkovitch and other detainees and negotiations for their release. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier this month that US officials should stop pressuring Russia over the Gershkovich talks.
“Dialogue involves the search for some solutions. From the US side, we only see attempts at pressure, pressure, threats. There is no dialogue in this style,” he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously warned against Americans speaking publicly during negotiations for the release of WNBA star Brittany Griner.
“The US has already made mistakes trying to solve such problems through ‘microphone diplomacy’.” They are not solved that way,” Peskov said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged closed-door talks last year.
“If the Americans try to engage in public diplomacy again and make loud statements about their intention to take certain steps, that is their business, I would even say their problem,” he said.
The State Department last month officially recognized Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained” in Russia and called for his immediate release.
State Department Principal Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement at the time, “Journalism is not a crime.” “We condemn the Kremlin’s continued suppression of independent voices in Russia and its ongoing war against truth.”
The Biden administration also called for the release of Paul Whelan, a former Marine who has been detained in Russia since 2018.
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