Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained by Russia during a reporting trip and accused of espionage, is in "good health and relatively good spirits" considering his dire circumstances.
Earlier this week, the U.S. ambassador to Moscow was permitted to visit the beloved journalist held at the notorious Lefortovo Prison for the first time since April.
"It was great news for us that the ambassador got in, because we had been requesting – the U.S. government had been requesting consulate access and the Russians kept denying it. Finally, they agreed. This was only the second time the ambassador was allowed in and she was able to report back that he’s in good health and relatively good spirits," Tucker said Friday on "Fox & Friends" during an appearance to mark the 100th day since Gershkovich was detained by Russia.
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 being a spy. The United States 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.
The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government vehemently deny the allegation 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 said.
Tucker said Gershkovich’s parents were able to travel to Moscow when their son was due in court.
"They got to speak to him, and it was a very important thing for them. The circumstances weren’t great because when people come to court, the accused in court, they stand in this glass box. It’s so inhumane," Tucker said.
"The mother refers to it as the aquarium. She said she was able to speak to him through this gap in the box and for a short while she was engaged with him and then this guard dragged her back to reality."
Tucker added that Gershkovich’s father said, "Just being physically close was important for us."
Gershkovich's family also released a statement Friday.
"Every day that Evan isn’t home is another day too many. We miss our son and will not stop until he is free. We are so appreciative of all the support from around the world. It’s overwhelming, and we are grateful," Gershkovich's family said.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR EVAN GERSHKOVICH
Tucker and Almar Latour, the Journal's publisher and the CEO of Dow Jones, also released a joint statement ahead of her appearance on "Fox & Friends."
"Today is a poignant milestone in our ongoing fight to free Evan Gershkovich. It is also a painful reminder of the urgency we all feel to ensure he’s released as soon as possible," Tucker and Latour said.
"For the past 100 days, we have been deeply moved by the outpouring of support from around the world, including the journalism community and defenders of free press everywhere. It has never been more important to have reporters like Evan covering stories like Russia. We must now keep his own story front and center."
WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTER'S IMPRISONMENT BY RUSSIA RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY HE WAS TARGETED
They continued, "We continue to work closely with the highest levels of the U.S. government and expect they will vigorously pursue all efforts to free Evan. Journalism is not a crime, and we continue to call on the Russian government to release him immediately. We will not rest until he’s free."
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.
"We want to draw attention to Evan’s plight, we don’t want him to be forgotten," Tucker said.
Fox News’ David Rutz and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
