Atlantic Council
08/01/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/02/2024 13:23
Statement from Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe on release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich
WASHINGTON, DC-AUGUST 1, 2024-The Atlantic Council releases the following statement from Frederick Kempe, president and chief executive officer of the Atlantic Council, regarding the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russia:
"We at the Atlantic Council are overjoyed and relieved that Evan has been released after 491 days of wrongful imprisonment in Russia. This is a great day for Evan, his family, and his colleagues at the Wall Street Journal, who worked tirelessly to secure his release. However, it doesn't diminish our need to speak out against Russia's crimes not only against Evan but against free speech more broadly.
Evan's resilience and steadfastness are testaments to the courage of journalists worldwide who take risks every day in service to freer societies. In partnership with Adrienne Arsht, the Atlantic Council has been proud to champion Evan's cause through our "Reporters at Risk" series, which highlights those dangers and underscores the importance of supporting their critical work.
The Atlantic Council remains committed to press freedom and defending the safety of reporters at risk like Evan. As a twenty-five-year veteran of the Wall Street Journal, I welcome him home as a colleague. On behalf of the Atlantic Council, we commit ourselves to defending the freedoms he and reporters like him around the world represent."
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