National Press Club Calls For Russia To Release Evan Gershkovich

WASHINGTON, March 30 Following is a statement from Eileen OReilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, urging the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter and U.S. citizen detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service while working near Yekaterinburg in west central Russia 880 miles from Moscow.

“Evan Gershkovich is a journalist. He should be released immediately and unharmed and allowed to return to his important work. Evan has a significant and distinguished career working for the New York Times and AFP prior to the Wall Street Journal. We consider this an unjust detention and call on the State Department to designate his detention in that manner at once.”

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. The NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for The National Press Club