Russia denies US consular visit to jailed journalist Evan Gershkovich

Russia’s foreign ministry has denied a request from the US for a consular visit to Evan Gershkovich, the American Wall Street Journal reporter jailed on espionage charges.

The ministry said it rejected the request for the 11 May visit in retaliation for the US refusing to grant visas to Russian journalists who planned to accompany Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, on a trip to the UN.

Gershkovich has been in custody since his arrest on 29 March by Russia’s security service on espionage charges that he, his employer and the US government have denied.

He is the first correspondent since the cold war to be detained in Russia on spying charges, and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and drew outrage in the west.

The US has declared Gershkovich to be wrongfully detained and demanded his immediate release.

The Russian denial of the American request for a consular visit to Gershkovich followed Lavrov warning that Moscow “will not forget and will not forgive” the denial of the visas to Russian journalists.

The foreign ministry said on Friday it was also considering other retaliatory measures.

“A protest note was presented in connection with the provocative conduct of the US diplomatic mission, which thwarted the issuing of visas to mass media representatives from the press pool of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who were supposed to accompany him on his trip to New York as part of Russia’s presidency of the UN security council,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The US embassy was informed in this connection that its request for consular access to US citizen Gershkovich, detained on suspicion of espionage, on 11 May was declined,” the ministry statement said. “Other possible retaliatory measures, about which the US side will be duly notified, are being considered.”