A Russian court rejected an appeal to release US reporter, Evan Gershkovich from detention in Moscow ahead of his trial on contested espionage charges.
Gershkovich, whose arrest by Russia’s FSB security services in late March sparked a global outcry, appeared in a glass cage in the Moscow court and made a heart symbol with his hands to other journalists in the room.
The court considered the complaint brought by Gershkovich’s defence against the decision to extend his detention and ruled that the initial decision should be left unchanged and the complaint of the defendant’s defence should not be satisfied.
Moscow says the sensitivity of the espionage charges means the trial must be held in private and court documents are not being made public.