Fox News 2023 reflected on by Bill Hemmer
2023 was another tumultuous year, marked by domestic political dysfunction and two major global conflicts. American Newsroom anchor Bill Hemmer looks back at the top headlines of the past 12 months.
A year ago, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was a free man. Now he is spending Christmas Day in a Moscow prison, separated from his family, friends and colleagues, but not forgotten.
Mr. Gershkovych has been considered to be unjustly detained by the United States since late March, when he was first arrested while reporting in Yekaterinburg. 4th largest city in Russia, and was accused of being a spy. He attracted international attention and became a symbol of the dangers of journalism in authoritarian countries. As of Monday, he had been held in the notorious Lefortovo prison for 271 days, had his appeals repeatedly rejected, and is almost certain to be convicted in Russia's closed court system.
The Biden administration and the Wall Street Journal have denounced the spying charges as ridiculous and demanded his release, while working behind the scenes to bring him home. Meanwhile, those close to him organized a letter-writing campaign to keep his spirits up and continued to steadily raise social media awareness to keep Gershkovic's plight in the public consciousness. Even in the dark, Gershkovic has maintained his humor and stamina, they say.
In a memo obtained by Fox News Digital last week, Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Moody said there were signs of cautious optimism and continued to raise awareness among staff about their situation. I encouraged them to do so.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershko stands in a defendant's enclosure before a court hearing to consider his appeal from pretrial detention on espionage charges in Moscow, Russia, October 10, 2023. Bitch. (Reuters/Evgenia Novozhenina/File photo)
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovic turns 32 while being illegally detained in Russia
“With the holiday season in full swing, we remain aware that Evan is in a Russian prison and is unable to spend the holidays with his friends and family,” she wrote. “We are encouraged by recent comments indicating that the US and Russia want a deal. Let's hope it happens soon. In the meantime, we are sharing Evan's story widely. and can do our part to raise awareness about his case. ”
At his annual press conference earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Gershkovych, who turned 32 in October, and fellow imprisoned American Paul Whelan, saying a deal could be reached for their release. suggested that.
“Why don't they return to their homeland? Shouldn't they then commit crimes on the territory of the Russian Federation?” President Putin said. “But this is all rhetoric. It does not mean that we will refuse to return it. We did not refuse it. We want to reach agreements, and these agreements are mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial It has to be suitable.”
Whelan, a former Marine who has been held in Russia for five years on suspicion of espionage, has criticized the Biden and Trump administrations for not bringing him home. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said at his press conference this month that the United States is “very aggressively working” to make that happen. Last year, the Russians traded WNBA player Brittney Greiner for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The Wall Street Journal dispatched its Washington bureau chief, Paul Beckett, to focus solely on Gershkovic's release, but Beckett told Fox News Digital that part of that effort involved “the U.S. government negotiating with the Russians.” Efforts are needed to create an environment in which he can be brought back to Japan. Mr. Beckett had a long history of reporting overseas and was well suited for the task.
“I think there's an assumption that these are bound to end up in a prisoner exchange at some point, but we're looking for ideas to bring forward. Some of these slightly unpleasant things that might force Russia to return him. Is there something else that isn't just one “exchange?” ” He said.
Evan Gershkovic's parents plead with Biden to bring him home: 'It's been 250 days and Evan isn't here'
His assessment of the state of play regarding Gershkovic's safe return is that although there is “movement”, he continues to prepare for a long slug. Needless to say, these are difficult times for this venerable newspaper.
“This is a real body blow,” Beckett said. “It's really bad. Holidays are the worst. At this time of year, when you look back at where you work and look at how you're doing as an organization and look at your co-workers around you, you see… All I see is the glare.'' There's a hole there, and that means Evan isn't here. So it's very difficult.”
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands inside a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court on Thursday, December 14, 2023, in Moscow, Russia. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)
During an appearance on “Fox & Friends” earlier this month, his mother Ella Millman and speedy Mikhail Gershkovic called on the Biden administration to keep its promise and bring him home.
The White House said it was pursuing “all avenues” to achieve that.
“Evan's family is experiencing the unimaginable. We are working to secure Evan's release and the release of fellow American Paul Whelan, and we are in regular contact with the Russian government at a senior level regarding these cases. “We have made several proposals and are currently doing so.” “We are constantly discussing this issue with third countries that can assist. Not a week goes by without intensive activity.” . We will not let our guard down and continue to pursue every avenue to bring them home,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital earlier this month.
It did not respond to requests for additional comment.
Gershkovich's colleagues continue to miss Evan and look forward to his return. Polina Ivanova, a close friend of the Financial Times, along with Peter Sauer of the Guardian and journalist Maria Bolznova, left Evan's seat vacant while attending Gershkovic's parents and sister Danielle. I traveled there to spend Thanksgiving.
White House says it is working to bring Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovic home: 'We will never give up'
“Everyone experiences ups and downs given the challenges they face, but a cold, dark winter has begun in Moscow,” Ivanova told Fox News after her pretrial detention was extended until late January. told Digital.
For his courage and grace under pressure, Gerscovich has received numerous awards, including the Lovejoy Award for Courage in Journalism and the Poynter Institute's Media Person of the Year Award.
The Wall Street Journal and others are encouraging supporters to “save a seat” for Gershkovic at the holiday table, leaving one seat open as a reminder of his absence.
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“We are holding a seat for him,” Moody wrote. “I hope it doesn't last too long.”
Fox News' Danielle Wallace and Brian Flood contributed to this report.
