The family of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich spoke out on Friday, which marks their son’s 100th day wrongfully detained by Russia, and said they are relying on President Biden to bring him home.
"I rely on President Biden’s promise to do whatever it takes to bring Evan back. I rely on his team, on their expertise," Gershkovich’s mother, Ella Millman said. "He is an American boy, bringing him back, I think is a team effort."
WSJ reporter Shelby Holliday sat down with Evan’s parents, Mikhail Gershkovich and Millman, and asked how frustrated they are that their son has been held at the notorious Lefortovo Prison for 100 days.
"There is absolutely nothing I can do, even though I would like a chance to do anything," Mikhail said.
WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH HAS BEEN WRONGFULLY DETAINED BY RUSSIA FOR 100 DAYS
Gershkovich was detained March 29 in Yekaterinburg, the fourth-largest city in Russia, and accused of espionage. The United States has all along stressed that Russia's allegation that Gershkovich is a spy is absolutely ludicrous. The U.S. and the Wall Street Journal have both called for his immediate release, and his arrest is seen as a brazen violation of press freedom.
"We write letters," his mother said when asked how they communicate. "I told him in one of those letters that he is my prisoner now. He has to read my stories that he didn’t want to listen to when he was younger. Now he has to read them."
Millman said her son has encouraged her to keep writing stories, but the beloved reporter is missing out on things he loves such as covering major stories and cheering on his favorite sports teams. Gershkovich is known for his on-the-ground journalism that put a spotlight on issues inside President Vladimir Putin’s country, and there have been significant developments with Russia over the past 100 days.
His parents miss seeing his byline in the Wall Street Journal and feel he would have added to the paper’s coverage of turmoil in Russia.
"He would have made an impact," Millman said.
Gershkovich’s parents were recently able to travel from Philadelphia to Moscow when their son was due in court, and spoke to him briefly through a glass cage. They didn’t expect to be able to speak with Gershkovich, and had traveled to Moscow just to see him, but were thrilled the unexpected encounter allowed them to say, "I love you," in person.
"I was just beside myself, so happy," Millman said. "We were smiling and laughing… I was so happy to see him."
A guard cut their conversation short, but Mikhail Gershkovich said, "Seeing him brought him a little bit back to me."
"Physical closeness made it a little bit more bearable," he said. "He seemed well. He seemed in good spirits, he was smiling. He seemed to be happy to see us as well."
Evan’s sister Danielle watched the hearing from the United States.
"I was just smiling," she said when asked about seeing that her parents were able to speak to Evan. "I just couldn’t wipe this grin off my face. I’m just holding onto those things that are bringing me joy right now. "
DETAINED WSJ REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH'S COLLEAGUES SPEAK OUT ON HIS PASSION FOR JOURNALISM, RUSSIA
In April, less than two weeks after his detention began, the U.S. officially designated him "wrongfully detained" by Russia. The designation allowed his case to be specially handled by the State Department's Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and signified that he is viewed officially as a political prisoner and not a legitimate detainee of Russia.
Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. House of Representatives have all called for his immediate release. The Kremlin on Tuesday addressed the potential of a prisoner swap with the United States for Gershkovich, a day after the U.S. ambassador to Moscow was permitted to visit him for the first time since April.
"We're not alone in this," Danielle said.
The Wall Street Journal has encouraged supporters to share Gershkovich’s journalism and latest updates on his situation by visiting WSJ.com/Evan. Readers can also access media assets and images such as #IStandWithEvan profile photos, banners and cover images to be used across social media. The WSJ also allows readers to write a message to Evan and his family.
Gershkovich grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Bowdoin College, a liberal-arts school in Maine, in 2014. His parents are Soviet-born Jewish exiles.
Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. Daniloff was released 20 days later in a swap for an employee of the Soviet Union’s U.N. mission who was arrested by the FBI, also on spying charges.
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Those who want to write Evan can send emails to freegershkovich@gmail.com.
Fox News’ David Rutz and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
