US journalist Evan Gershkovich jailed for 16 years in Russia

His employer, The Wall Street Journal, has called the allegations "shameful" and a "sham".

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The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter was first arrested last March while on a reporting trip in the city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,600km (1,000 miles) east of Moscow, by security services.

Prosecutors accused him of working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), accusations that Gershkovich, the WSJ and the US vociferously deny.

It marks the first conviction of a US journalist for espionage in Russia since the Cold War ended more than 30 years ago.

Both sides in the trial have 15 days to appeal against the verdict, the judge said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg64npg33r3o

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