Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich hits six months of wrongful detainment in Russia

Friday marks six months since Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russia and accused of espionage, making him the first American journalist held by the Kremlin on such charges since the Cold War.

The Wall Street Journal launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of what the U.S. government has officially designated a wrongful detainment, to coincide with the difficult milestone. Journalists and supporters are encouraged to post images with the #IStandWithEvan hashtag, and pins and shirts with the message are expected to be plentiful. 

The Guardian's Pjotr Sauer, one of many friends Gershkovich made in his journalism career, told Fox News Digital they've been in weekly contact by letter and his spirits remain strong despite his grueling ordeal.

"Evan is keeping strong, both physically and mentally. He's reading a lot, he's exercising, he's keeping his mind and body busy, but of course it's a very grim milestone," he said. "Six months is a long period, too long, obviously. Every day is too long as long as Evan is in jail."

EVAN GERSHKOVICH'S FRIENDS REACT TO BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION DEMANDING RUSSIA LET HIM GO: 'WE WILL NOT REST'

Gershkovich was detained March 29 during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg, the fourth-largest city in Russia, and accused of being a spy. The U.S. has all along asserted that Russia's allegation is ridiculous on its face, as have his colleagues, who describe the 31-year-old American-born son of Soviet immigrants as a diligent reporter who is being used as a political pawn due to his high profile. 

Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and Dow Jones CEO Almar Latour issued a joint statement on Friday. 

"Today we mark six months since Evan Gershkovich was wrongfully detained by Russia for simply doing his job. It remains as much of an outrage today as it has been every moment since his arrest. This has been an incredibly challenging time for Evan, his family, his friends, and his colleagues, and we continue to call for Evan’s immediate release," Tucker and Latour said. 

"We have seen a heartwarming outpouring of support for Evan and his family from around the world. On this difficult milestone, we ask people to not only continue standing with Evan, but also stand for what Evan represents — the right for all journalists to freely tell important stories. Journalism is not a crime," they continued. "We are working with tremendous urgency to free Evan and expect the U.S. government’s equally focused efforts to continue as well. We will sustain these efforts as long as necessary and will not stop until he is free."

The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government vehemently deny the allegations against Gershkovich and have called for his immediate release. His arrest is seen as a brazen violation of press freedom that not only poses widespread consequences for journalism and the media, but to governments and democracies everywhere, and part of a wider journalism crackdown by the autocratic Russian Federation.

"He is definitely not a spy, that is an outrage. He is a reporter, he was there doing his job," Tucker has said. 

Continued extensions of his pre-trial detention have only added to the frustration. Conviction in a closed court on charges of this nature is a near certainty in Russia's court system, experts have said.

In April, less than two weeks after he was detained, 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. 

Gershkovich has been held in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo pre-trial detention center. Financial Times reporter Polina Ivanova, another friend of Gershkovich, said the six-month milestone was "devastating," but added she's doing her best to send positive vibes in his direction.

"Evan is staying strong. He's continuing to be confident about the future and determined," she said, adding he's had the chance to read many books during his imprisonment. "Every time a letter arrives from Evan, it's the best part of my day and I stop whatever I'm doing and spend time reading and thinking about it."

Gershkovich will turn 32 next month, almost certainly while still in prison. Ivanova said it would be "very tough to think about," but both he and his loved ones aren't losing hope.

DETAINED WSJ REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH'S COLLEAGUES SPEAK OUT ON HIS PASSION FOR JOURNALISM, RUSSIA

Gershkovich’s alma maters showed support this week, as the Princeton High School boy’s soccer team that Gershkovich once captained to a championship scored a last-minute victory during a game played in his honor Tuesday. A WSJ reporter overheard a player brag, "We did it for Evan," after the victory. 

The team warmed up #IStandWithEvan shirts, and people packed in the stands wearing "Free Evan" buttons. 

"Evan never had a bad day. He persevered through everything. We won everything you can win in New Jersey soccer. My hope is that he still has that resolve," Wayne Sutcliffe, who was Gershkovich's high school soccer coach, said after the game. 

Bowdoin College also honored Gershkovich with a panel discussion about his work as a journalist, his life as a student and the challenges facing independent journalism. The panel, "Journalism is Not a Crime," was coordinated by Gershkovich’s college classmates and friends Linda Kinstler and Nora Biette-Timmons and featured WSJ Washington bureau chief Paul Beckett. 

Kinstler said that the group has been sending Gershkovich books and letters on a regular basis. 

"We’re just trying to do everything we can to make his life better in these horrible circumstances," Kinstler told the WSJ. 

Sauer estimated his friend has received more than 3,000 letters since he was imprisoned.

"We live in limbo, but I think his friends and family are taking things day by day. Those letters give us strength," Sauer said.

REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH IN ‘GOOD HEALTH’ AFTER 100 DAYS IN RUSSIAN PRISON, SAYS WSJ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Last week, Gershkovich had an appeal for his release denied by a Moscow court, according to reports. The court rejected Gershkovich's appeal of the three-month extension of his pre-trial detention following a closed hearing, Reuters reported, noting that the Russian court's press service did not give an explanation for the decision. Gershkovich will, therefore, remain in custody until at least Nov. 30.

Dow Jones Associate General Counsel Jake Goldstein was in Geneva last week to advocate on behalf of Gershkovich during the 54th Session of the U.N. Human Rights Council.

The paper has encouraged supporters to share Gershkovich’s journalism and latest updates on his situation by visiting WSJ.com/Evan. Readers can 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. 

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR EVAN GERSHKOVICH

Latour addressed how Gershkovich’s continued detention in Russia impacts the presence of American journalists on assignments abroad at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York City earlier this month.

"The cost of not being there is extremely high. For us, that means that even as we are confronted with a situation with Evan right now, we have a deep commitment to remaining present around the world," Latour said. "Obviously, that's been greatly complicated, but we can still, with that determination, extract major news even if the presence on the ground is not as big as before."

Latourm, along with Gershkovich’s parents and other Dow Jones representatives, also attended the Atlantic Council's Global Citizen Awards last week. During the event, Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe highlighted Gershkovich’s case. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen were also in attendance. 

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.

The Gershkovich family released a touching letter on Friday. 

"It’s difficult to believe that it’s been six months since Evan was wrongfully imprisoned and almost a year since we were all together as a family. It’s hard not to think about everything he is missing: close friends’ weddings, holidays with family, his 32nd birthday, and the job he loves. We miss him terribly and today is another reminder that every day is a day too long without his freedom," the Gershkovich family wrote. 

"Throughout these six months, Evan’s astounding courage and strength has inspired people around the world. We are so grateful for our government’s swift action, Evan’s talented peers and colleagues at the Wall Street Journal, the international news community, the support of friends and family, and everyone writing letters and using the #IStandWithEvan hashtag," they continued. "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We take strength from all of you to continue fighting for Evan’s swift release."

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Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.