'I was lured into a trap': Evan Gershkovich on moment that led to 16 months in Russian jail
Journalist Evan Gershkovich recounted his 2023 arrest in Russia, describing how he was lured into a trap by FSB agents under the guise of a source meeting. He spent 16 months in prison on espionage charges, which he and his employer maintain were fabricated to use him as a political hostage.
Why it matters
The case serves as a high-profile example of the risks faced by foreign journalists in Russia and the use of 'hostage diplomacy' in international relations.
Figure caption, Watch: Evan Gershkovich describes the moment he was detained by masked men
US journalist Evan Gershkovich has said that he knew he was being set up by Russia when he was arrested by FSB agents and accused of being a spy.
In an interview with Radio 4's Today programme, Gershkovich spoke about the moment he realised he had been "lured into a trap" when masked men surrounded him at a restaurant in 2023, and detained him.
"I'm not interrogated, I'm not tortured… I'm accused of espionage," he said, describing a sense of relief: "They've set me up and fabricated this case so that I can be a valuable hostage - a pawn in a greater game".
Gershkovich, now 34, was sentenced to 16 years in prison, but freed 16 months later as part of a high-profile prisoner swap deal .
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