Sham trial of American journalist Gershkovich begins in Russia

Washington - The closed-door trial of American journalist Evan Gershkovich began on Wednesday in Russia, nearly 15 months after he was jailed on espionage charges that are widely viewed as baseless and politically motivated.

A correspondent with The Wall Street Journal, Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 on spying charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny. The State Department has