On March 29, 2023, Russian authorities detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Soon after, he was transferred to Moscow鈥檚 Lefortovo prison and charged with espionage, an accusation which he and his colleagues have strongly rejected and for which Russian authorities have produced no evidence.
Today, one year after these events, 83 IPI members from around the world have sent a letter to Gershkovich, underscoring their solidarity with him amid his unjust imprisonment and as the IPI global network continues to demand his immediate release.
鈥淧lease know that you are not alone in this fight. As members of IPI, we stand resolutely beside you, united in our conviction that truth and justice will prevail鈥�, IPI members wrote to Evan Gershkovich.聽
Read the full letter from IPI members to Evan below.
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Dear Evan,
We are writing to you as members of the International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, leading journalists and media freedom advocates united in the shared commitment to press freedom and solidarity between journalists. We want to convey our unwavering support and solidarity as you endure imprisonment in Moscow鈥檚 Lefortovo prison.
On the outside, thousands of people stand in solidarity with you. It is deeply troubling to know that you are unjustly confined behind bars, deprived of your freedom for simply carrying out your work as a journalist. Your imprisonment is not only an affront to press freedom but also an attack on the fundamental principles of democracy and human rights. Know that a vast network of colleagues, supporters, and advocates are working tirelessly to raise awareness about your situation and advocate for your release.
Please know that you are not alone in this fight. As members of IPI, we stand resolutely beside you, united in our conviction that truth and justice will prevail. Your courage in the face of adversity serves as a beacon of hope for journalists everywhere, reminding us of the importance of upholding the values of a free and independent press.
As you face this appalling injustice, your resilience and determination are an inspiration to us all. Please take solace in the knowledge that there are many who are thinking of you, advocating for you, and eagerly awaiting the day when you will be reunited with your loved ones and able to continue your vital work. In the meantime, please take care of yourself and stay strong.
With heartfelt solidarity,
Members of the International Press Institute
| Felix | Adenaike | Editor-in-Chief | Syndicated Communications Ltd |
| Quentin | 础谤颈猫蝉 | Founder | ereb |
| Charles A | Bambara | Journalist | Retired Senior Communication Staff United Nations |
| Eniola | Bello | Managing Director | THISDAY |
| Nathalie | Bertrams | Freelance Journalist | |
| Isabel | Bonnet | Video Editor | AFP |
| Bjorn | Bore | Editor in chief | V氓rt Land |
| Robert | Brestan | Editor-In-Chief | HlidaciPes.org |
| Branko | Brkic | Editor-in-Chief | Daily Maverick |
| Oliver | Buch | Legal advisor | IPI German National Committee |
| Lukas | Burnar | Executive Director | Medienhaus andererseits GmbH |
| Matthew | Caruana Galizia | Director | The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation |
| Jim | Clancy | Journalist | |
| Rawan | Damen | Director General | Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism |
| Sahana | David Menon | Journalist | |
| Ido | Dissentshik | editor in chief (ret.) | Maariv |
| Martin | du Bois | ||
| Leticia | Duarte | Latin America Manager | Report for the World |
| Trine | Eilertsen | Editor in Chief | Aftenposten |
| Vittorio | Ferrara | Journalist | Freelance |
| Veronica | Figueroa | Journalist | |
| Tamara | Filipovic Stevanovic | Secretary General | Independent Journalists鈥� Association of Serbia |
| Julius | Fintelmann | Editorial director | The European Correspondent |
| Peter | Ford | International News Editor | The Christian Science Monitor |
| Frank D | Freiling | SVP International | ZDF German Television |
| Anne | Gellinek | head of news | ZDF German Television |
| Ricardo | Gines | Free Journalist | |
| Stephen | Gitama | Group CEO | Nation Media Group PLC Kenya |
| Aaron | Glantz | Executive-in-Residence | Maynard Institute for Journalism Education |
| Kevin | Grant | Co-founder & chief development officer | GroundTruth |
| Oleg | Grigorenko | Editor in Chief | 7×7 Horizontal Russia |
| Tom | Grundy | Editor-in-Chief | Hong Kong Free Press |
| Fredy | Gsteiger | Deputy Editor-in-Chief | SRF |
| Chani | Guyot | Publisher | Human Journalism Network |
| Richard | Hoechner | Co-Founder | Republik Magazine |
| Mohamed | Ibrahim | President | Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) |
| Uraz | Kaspar | Co-Founder | Podfresh |
| Christos | Kazantzoglou | Freelance Journalist | |
| Emre | Kizilkaya | Editor | Journo.com.tr |
| Ginko | Kobayashi | Freelance journalist | |
| Thanassis | Koukakis | Financial Editor | CNN Greece |
| Wolfgang | Krach | Editor-in-Chief | S眉ddeutsche Zeitung |
| Magdalena | Krukowska | Journalist | Forbes |
| Metin Kaan | Kurtulus | Senior Editor for Foreign Affairs | T24 |
| Teseo | La Marca | Journalist | Freelancer |
| Gianluca | Liva | Science Journalist | RADAR Magazine |
| Vineet | Malik | Editor In Chief | The Revelation |
| Frane | Maroevic | Executive Director | IPI |
| Jovo | Martinovic | Director | Crime and Corruption Reporting Network 鈥� LUPA |
| Paul | McLoughlin | Head of News | The New Arab |
| Adrian | 惭辞驳辞葯 | newsromania.net | |
| Emy | Muzzi | Journalist | Talkeurope.org |
| Isa | Myzyraj | Journalist | Rtv Ora News |
| Ramesh Kumar | Neupane | News Chief | Himal Media, Nepal |
| Amelia | Newcomb | Managing Editor | The Christian Science Monitor |
| Antoinette | Nikolova | Director | Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI) |
| Petr | Oralek | Czech News Agency | |
| Elizaveta | Osetinskaya | Founder | The Bell |
| Jakub | 笔补迟辞膷办补 | editor-in-chief, publisher | Den铆k Referendum |
| Andreea | Pavel | Reporter/ Editor in chief | Info Sud-Est |
| Virginia | P茅rez Alonso | Editor-in-Chief | P煤blico (Spanish online news outlet) |
| Hyury | Potter | Investigative Reporter | Freelancer |
| Ryan | Powell | Head of Innovation and Media Business | IPI |
| Tibor | Purger | Lecturer in Political Science | Rutgers University |
| Clare | Rewcastle Brown | Journalist | Sarawak Report |
| Maria | Rzaeva | Chief Commercial Offiver | Paper |
| Laura | Saarikoski | Journalist , Finland | |
| Charles | Sennott | Founder and Editor in Chief | GroundTruth |
| Maja | Sever | journalist | Trade union of croatian journalists |
| Craig | Shaw | Editor | The Black Sea |
| sahaj | shrestha | Vice president | Freedom Forum of Nepal |
| Patricia | Smith | Retired editor | Global Journalist |
| Piotr | 厂迟补蝉颈艅蝉办颈 | Advisor, former deputy editor-in-chief | Gazeta Wyborcza |
| Lucie | Sykorova | Chair of Supervisory Board | ECPMF |
| Teodor | Tita | Co-founder | MediaGen (Gen,葮tiri/Genzette) |
| Nestan | Tsetskhladze | Editor in Chief | Netgazeti.ge |
| Alexandra | Tyan | video journalist | Sphera Network |
| Zuzana | 痴濒补蝉补迟谩 | Reporter | Den铆k Referendum |
| Alexander | Vostrov | Deputy Director | Belarusian Investigative Center |
| Andreas | Zarm | Manager | DPV |
| Syrian center for medias and freedom of expression |