Jackson Purchase News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaker Johnson, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and Leader Jeffries released a joint statement on the one-year anniversary of Evan Gershkovich's captivity, condemning the actions of the Russian government. They expressed their concern for Evan Gershkovich, an American citizen and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, who has been wrongfully detained.

The statement highlighted the unjust imprisonment of Gershkovich, stating, "Evan Gershkovich, an American citizen and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, has now spent a year wrongfully detained by Putin’s government. We continue to condemn his baseless arrest, fabricated charges, and unjust imprisonment."

Additionally, they drew attention to the historical background of Evan's family, noting, “Forty-five years ago, Evan’s parents, Ella and Mikhail Gershkovich, found refuge in the United States after fleeing the Soviet Union. Today, Putin is restoring Soviet-style control through repression at home and aggression abroad.”

Emphasizing the importance of press freedom, the leaders reaffirmed, “On the anniversary of Evan Gershkovich’s captivity, we reaffirm the importance of his work. Journalism is not a crime, and reporters are not bargaining chips. The Kremlin’s attempts to silence Evan and intimidate other Western reporters will not impede the pursuit of truth.”

In conclusion, the leaders reiterated their call for justice, stating, “We repeat our call for the Russian government to release Evan, Paul Whelan, and others it has wrongfully detained without further delay.”