Lawyers have been able to gain access to the jailed Wall Street Journal reporter

The US is working towards a release of Gershkovich from Russia, a vicious affront to the free press and a Jewish activist

The Biden administration is preparing to officially declare Gershkovich as wrongfully detained in Russia, two US officials told CNN, a move that will trigger new US government resources to work towards his release, CNN reported earlier.

The designation, which is expected in the coming days, follows an ongoing internal review of the circumstances surrounding Gershkovich’s arrest, officials said. The State Department’s office of hostage affairs will then lead the US efforts to get Gershkovich home.

Last week, the State Department’s principal deputy spoke up saying he did not think there was any truth to the accusations against Gershkovich. John Kirby is a spokesman for the US National Security Council.

In the last few months, the last two Americans who were imprisoned in Russia have been released. According to one US official, some people are concerned about a prisoner swap in this case incentivizing detainment of American journalists, so the US is considering ways to get Gershkovich out.

The journalist who has been in Russia since last week is in good health and was able to see his lawyers, the Wall Street Journal said in a statement.

His jailing is an attack on a free press. We are doing everything in our power to bring Evan home safely and will not rest until he is reunited with his family,” the statement from Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker and Publisher Almar Latour said.

The statement stated that Evan was asking questions and giving an account of his travels in the region to keep the world informed.

The Journal has vehemently denied the espionage charge against Gershkovich, describing his arrest “a vicious affront to a free press” which “should spur outrage in all free people and governments throughout the world.”

While Jews prepare to celebrate Passover with Seders, some will leave a seat open for a Wall Street Journal reporter who is currently jailed in Russia.

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz has joined the effort to encourage other Jews to leave an empty seat at their Seder tables. He shared the campaign poster on Twitter and has talked about it in his Modern Orthodox Jewish circles. Yaklowitz’s own Seder table will include a photograph of the jailed journalist, as well as a seat for him. He also plans to put a lock and key on his Seder plate – a dish full of symbolic parts of the meal that help tell the story of Passover.

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“We want as many people to know about Evan as possible,” Raice said. He ought to be someone that they care about.

“We have already seen tyrants,” Yanklowitz said. We have seen tyrants throughout history, starting with Pharaoh and lasting up to our time with Putin. These are tyrants who will only stop with pressure and global advocacy.