Immediately we mark a painful anniversary: one 12 months of American journalist Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful detention in Russia.

Journalism is just not a criminal offense, and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter —risking his security to shine the sunshine of fact on Russia’s brutal aggression towards Ukraine. Shortly after his wholly unjust and unlawful detention, he drafted a letter to his household from jail, writing: “I’m not shedding hope.”

As I’ve advised Evan’s mother and father, I’ll by no means hand over hope both. We’ll proceed working every single day to safe his launch. We’ll proceed to denounce and impose prices for Russia’s appalling makes an attempt to make use of Individuals as bargaining chips. And we are going to proceed to face sturdy towards all those that search to assault the press or goal journalists—the pillars of free society.

To Evan, to Paul Whelan, and to all Individuals held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas: We’re with you. And we are going to by no means cease working to convey you residence.

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