Washington D.C./15.08.23/Turan: The top U.S. diplomat in Russia, Lynne Tracy, on Monday visited Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions, to meet with the detained American journalist Evan Gershkovich, the State Department confirmed, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
“Ambassador Tracy said that Evan appears in good health and remains strong, despite his very challenging circumstances,” Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told a daily briefing when responding to TURAN's questions. "Embassy officials will continue to provide all appropriate support to Evan and his family. And we expect Russian authorities to provide continued consular access," he added.
The Kremlin denied consular access to Gershkovich following his arrest in March on espionage charges, allegations that Washington denies. But Ambassador Tracy has seen the 31-year-old twice before, while Gershkovich awaits a trial that experts suggest will be a sham with a predetermined outcome.
Patel reiterates the U.S. call for both Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another wrongfully detained U.S. citizen, to be released by the Russians.
Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986.
Alex Raufoglu
Politics
-
On January 23, the Baku Court of Appeal considered the complaint of Meydan TV journalist Natig Javadli against the refusal to transfer him to house arrest.
-
On January 23, the Deputy Commander of the Azerbaijani Ground Forces, Ilgar Latifov, met with a Pakistani delegation headed by the Director General of Military Operations, Abdullah Kashif. The parties discussed the state and prospects for the development of military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, as well as the importance of increasing the intensity of joint exercises.
-
The announcement of 2025 as the "Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty" in Azerbaijan has sparked rumors and speculation about the government's plans to hold a constitutional referendum this year. Today's statement in the Milli Majlis by the head of the parliamentary committee on human rights and concurrently the director of the Center for Humanitarian Studies, Zahid Oruj, confirmed that these expectations are not groundless.
-
As part of the peace process with Azerbaijan, Armenia has proposed solutions to all agenda issues, stated Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Armenia's Security Council, on January 23. "We are not asking for peace, we are offering peaceful solutions to all existing issues. For the two unresolved points, we have sent proposals and are waiting for a response from the Azerbaijani side. We hope that we will find solutions," Grigoryan said, according to Armenian media. Meanwhile, the press service of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Turan that "negotiations on the text of the peace agreement are ongoing."
Leave a review