The trial of an American journalist who has been detained since last year on suspicion of espionage in Russia has begun. However, the hearings are being held in private.

The trial of Wall Street Journal journalist Gershkovich began on the 26th at a court in Yekaterinburg, central Russia.

Filming was allowed only at the beginning of the hearing, when Gershkovich appeared in court with his head shaved, but the rest of the hearing was closed to the public.

Gershkovich was arrested in March last year on suspicion of espionage for allegedly collecting classified information about munitions factories, with prosecutors alleging that he was doing so at the behest of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Gershkovich has denied the allegations, and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow on the 26th criticized the Kremlin for “attempting to exploit him for political purposes” and called for his immediate release.

Source: Japanese