US "intensely engaged" in efforts to seek immediate release of jailed WSJ reporter in Russia: Blinken

Washington [US], May 5 : The United States is "intensely engaged with the Russians" in seeking the release of jailed Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich, State Secretary Anthony Blinken said, according to the statement released by State Department.

Answering a query over the efforts of freeing jailed Evan Gershkovich, Blinken said, "It's a sombre day, for the reasons that my alter ego cited just a few minutes ago. We know that journalists around the world are increasingly under siege - under siege in a whole variety of ways.

Blinken was speaking at a World Press Freedom Day event held by the Washington Post.

"That's now mfested itself once again very powerfully in Evan's detention and incarceration, in Moscow - profoundly, unjustly - for doing his job. We're intensely engaged with the Russians to seek his freedom, to seek his immediate release - short of that, just to get what Russia's obligated to provide, which is consular access, which they've done once but have yet to repeat," he added.

He further stated that US Ambassador Lynne Tracy had a chance to be with Evan about ten days ago; found Gerschkovich "incredibly strong of mind and spirit", which is a very powerful thing in this situation, according to the statement.

Blinken claimed that Russia like some other countries is wrongfully detaining people, using them as political pawns, using them as leverage in a practice that is absolutely unacceptable and that we're working both broadly to try to deter but also at the same time to try to secure the release of those who are being unjustly detained.

Answering a question whether State Secretary had a conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, Blinken said, "I spoke to Foreign Minister Lavrov shortly after Evan was detained. I haven't spoken to him since. I made clear the imperative of releasing Evan. I made clear the imperative of getting consular access. We did get consular access after that. We have a channel that President Biden and President Putin established, some time ago, to try to work on these cases, so we're engaged."

"I wish I could say that at this moment there was a clear way forward. We don't have that at this moment, but it's something that we're working on every single day," he added.

Earlier, even before Blinken had a chance to reply to those questions, someone from the audience interrupted him and asked about Julian Assange, as per the statement.

"We can't use this day without calling for the freedom of Julian Assange," someone from the audience asked.

"The Biden administration must (inaudible) Julian Assange. Stop the extradition request of Julian Assange," again someone asked from the audience.

Blinken didn't answer any of these questions, according to the statement.