Fight to free reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russia: Send your support

News Corp Australia launches Dear Evan – a campaign to show support for US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who will this week mark one year in Russian detention. Send your words of support.

A group of prominent Australian leaders from the worlds of journalism, politics, business, sport and the community is coming together to show their support for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who will this week mark one year in Russian detention.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Evan was detained while on assignment on March 29, 2023 in the city of Yekaterinburg and falsely accused of being a spy, making him the first American accused of espionage since the Cold War.

Many believe he is being detained as a bargaining chip in Vladimir Putin’s dealings with the west.

This week, News Corp Australia launches Dear Evan – a campaign to not only show Evan support while he is in detention, but to join his family, the Wall Street Journal and the US government in calling for his immediate release.

Key figures from Australia’s sporting world are adding their voice in support of Mr Gershkovich’s release. Read the letters and send your own words of support.

And four Australians – themselves unjustly held in overseas prisons on bogus charges – have come out in support of Mr Gershkovich.

Their stories differ – Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert was imprisoned in Iran for 804 days; economist Professor Sean Turnell was detained in Myanmar for 650; reporter Peter Greste was held for 13 months in Egypt; and fellow journalist Cheng Lei spent almost three years in jail in China.

But all four know the horror of being unjustly detained for lengthy periods, and recall the anxiety that diplomatic negotiations may not be enough to secure their release.