Evan Gershkovich has been detained in Russia for 250 days on an espionage charge.
Paul Whelan has been jailed in Russia since December 2018 on espionage-related charges.
The offer was rejected by the Russian authorities.
The Russian authorities have suggested a possible prisoner swap, but only after a verdict is delivered.
The U.S. government has made a new proposal to secure the release of two American detainees, Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, from Russia.
The U.S. government has made a new proposal to secure the release of two American detainees, Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, from Russia. However, the offer was rejected by the Russian authorities. The details of the proposal have not been disclosed. Both Whelan and Gershkovich have been declared wrongfully detained by the U.S. government.
Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, has been jailed in Russia since December 2018 on espionage-related charges. Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist, has been detained in Russia for 250 days on an espionage charge that he, his newspaper, and the U.S. government deny. The nature of the espionage charges against Gershkovich remains unclear.
The lawyer working on Gershkovich's case predicts that his time in detention will likely last much longer, as these cases usually take years to complete. The Russian authorities have suggested a possible prisoner swap, but only after a verdict is delivered. If convicted, Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in a Russian penal colony.
Gershkovich's detention has raised concerns about press freedom and the treatment of foreign journalists in Russia. Whelan's family recently reported that he was assaulted in prison. The U.S. has arranged two prisoner swaps with Russia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Biden administration has been criticized for not doing enough to secure their release. The State Department spokesperson stated that they will continue to work on bringing the men home.