Overview

• Gershkovich was convicted after a closed trial and sentenced to a maximum-security penal colony.
• International observers and U.S. officials denounce the charges as fabricated and part of a geopolitical strategy.
• Former President Trump promises to secure Gershkovich's release without compensation if re-elected.
• Discussions of a potential prisoner swap are ongoing between U.S. and Russian officials.
• Gershkovich's case underscores the growing risks for journalists in Russia amid heightened tensions with the West.