DONALD Trump has promised to rescue wrongfully imprisoned American journalist Evan Gershkovich from Russia without paying a single penny if he is re-elected in November.
Gershkovich, 32, was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on Friday following a sham trial on false espionage charges.
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The Wall Street Journal reporter pleaded not guilty.
Trump has now promised to return Gershkovich to the United States, claiming that President Biden will never take him away from Russia.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused the president of having to pay a “king’s ransom” to bring Gershkovich home.
“Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was just sentenced to 16 years in prison by a Russian court,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Read more about Evan Gershkovich
“Biden will NEVER GET HIM OUT unless he pays a ‘king’s ransom.’
“I will take him out WITHOUT COMPENSATION immediately after our victory on November 5th, and it will be my great honor to do so,” Trump continued.
“Vote for TRUMP and the Wall Street Journal should STOP BEING STUPID!!!”
It is not the first time that Trump has doubted that the Biden administration would be able to bring the imprisoned journalist home.
In April, former president told Time magazine that he was unsure whether Gershkovich would be released with Biden in office.
He stated that the president “dealt very badly” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and highlighted his relationship with the foreign leader.
“I think Biden handled Putin very badly,” Trump said at the time.
“Putin should never have gone to Ukraine. And he didn’t go with me for four years. I get along very well with Putin, but the reporter should be released and he will be released.
“I don’t know if he will be released under Biden,” Trump told the outlet.
A month later, Trump insisted that his administration would not pay Russia to bring Gershkovich home.
Trump statement on Gershkovich sentencing
The former president appeared at Truth Social promising that he would bring the imprisoned journalist home.
“Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was just sentenced to 16 years in prison by a Russian court,” Trump wrote.
“Biden WILL NEVER GET HIM OUT unless he pays a “king’s ransom.” I will take him down WITHOUT COMPENSATION immediately after our victory on November 5th, and it will be a great honor to vote for TRUMP, and the Wall Street Journal should STOP BEING STUPID!!!”
Once again, he pointed to his relationship with Putin, saying in a post on Truth Social: “Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do this for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL PAY NOTHING!”
At the time, a Putin spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that there was “no contact between Putin and Trump on this matter.”
FALSE CONVICTION
Gershkovich has been detained in Russia since his arrest on March 29, 2023.
He was wrongly accused of collecting “secret information” for the CIA.
Originally, Russian prosecutors requested a jaw-dropping 18-year sentence for the false charges.
Since his arrest, no evidence of the crimes has been presented.
The jailed journalist was seen in a glass cage in a courtroom in Yekaterinburg, southwestern Russia, on Friday.
He was last seen in court in late June.
Evan Gershkovich’s arrest timeline
Falsely imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been detained on unsubstantiated espionage charges since March 2023.
Here is a timeline of key events:
Russia’s security service, the FSB, accused him of espionage – an accusation he, the WSJ and the US government deny.
They argue – without evidence – that he collected “information constituting state secrets about the activities of one of the companies of the Russian military-industrial complex.”
Day 12: April 10, 2023 – The US designated Gershkovich as unjustly detained and launched efforts against Russia to free him.
Day 20: April 18, 2023 – A Moscow court upheld his pre-trial detention, denied him bail and ordered him detained in the capital’s infamous Lefortovo prison.
Day 55: May 23, 2023 – Gershkovich’s detention was extended until at least August 30.
Their parents, Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich, traveled to the hearing and said that “any parent who loves their children would travel to the ends of the earth to be with them for a few minutes.”
Day 76: June 13, 2023 – The White House called on Russia to immediately release Gershkovich and also to release former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was convicted of espionage in 2020.
Day 85: June 22, 2023 – A Moscow court upheld the extension of Gershkovich’s detention until at least August 30.
Day 100: July 7, 2023 – The world press expressed solidarity with the reporter when his shameful detention reached 100 days.
Day 174: September 19, 2023 – Gershkovich had another appeal for freedom blocked.
Day 195: October 10, 2023 – The American reporter had yet another appeal denied, which would have extended his detention until at least November 30th.
Day 244: November 28, 2023 – A court ruled that Gershkovich would remain in pre-trial detention until at least January 30.
Day 303: January 26, 2024 – The innocent journalist’s prison term was extended until the end of March.
Day 316: February 8, 2024 – Vladimir Putin told US TV host Tucker Carlson that an agreement could be reached between Russia and the US over Gershkovich.
Day 363: March 26, 2024: Gershkovich’s detention will last until June 30, when he approaches a year behind bars.
Day 442: June 13, 2024: Russian authorities announce that he will be tried on false charges that the reporter was spying for the CIA
Day 455: June 26, 2024: Closed-door sham trial begins in Yekaterinburg at Sverdlovsk court with Evan appearing inside a glass cage
Its editors and foreign leaders criticized the baseless accusations for months.
Following the sentencing, The Wall Street Journal released a statement labeling the trial a “shameful and false conviction.”
The White House also released a statement, with Biden affirming his commitment to bringing the American journalist home.
“As I have long said and as the UN has also concluded, there is no doubt that Russia is unfairly detaining Evan,” Biden said. he said.
“Journalism is not a crime. We will continue to firmly defend press freedom in Russia and around the world, and stand against all those who seek to attack the press or attack journalists.
“Furthermore, from day one of my administration, I have had no higher priority than seeking the release and safe return of Evan, Paul Whelan and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad.
“Evan has endured his ordeal with remarkable strength. We will not cease our efforts to bring him home. And Jill and I are keeping Evan and his family in our prayers.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
