WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2023) White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Thursday that a Russian court's espionage accusation against Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich is not accurate.
"The charge of espionage is ridiculous. That is not accurate," Jean-Pierre said when asked if Gershkovich ever worked for or does work for the US government.
Jean-Pierre declined to get into any further specifics when asked if Gershkovich had any possible links to the US government.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said consular access has been granted to Gershkovich.
Earlier in the day, the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow told Sputnik that it has decided to arrest Gershkovich for two months over espionage suspicions.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that Gershkovich was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on suspicion of espionage for the United States. According to the FSB, Gershkovich collected classified information about the activities of one of Russia's military-industrial complex firms.
