The refusal of the Russian authorities to grant consular protection to American Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gerskovich, who was arrested on March 29 on charges of suspected of espionageconstitutes a violation of international law, as its spokesman emphasized today State DepartmentVedant Patel.

During a briefing for accredited editors, a US State Department spokesman said the Kremlin officially informed the White House of Gershkovich’s arrest over the weekend, but US consular officials have not yet been able to meet with him.

“This is a violation of Russia’s obligations under the convention on consular relations and a violation of international law,” Patel said. “We stressed the need for the Russian government to provide this access as soon as possible,” he added.

Recall that last Friday, the Russian prosecutor’s office charged the Wall Street Journal correspondent Ivan Gershkovich with espionage, Russian news agencies Interfax and TASS reported.

American newspaper correspondent pleaded not guilty, “categorically” denying the allegations at his expense, according to Interfax and TASS.

Gerskovich, US citizen of Russian origin, was arrested last week in the Ural city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage, which the Wall Street Journal, Western leaders and his colleagues called LIE.

According to Interfax, a criminal case has been initiated against Gershkovich under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for a punishment of 20 years in prison.

Source: APE-Reuters.