On 29 March 2023, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was on a field trip in the Ural mountains of Russia when he was arrested on spurious charges of espionage.

Russia’s FSB - the successor to the Soviet-era KGB - had accused Evan of attempting to obtain classified information about a large military industrial complex, charging him with spying; charges the Journal, the US government and Evan’s family have always strenuously denied.

In this episode of 'Silenced', host Nicola Kelly speaks to Ann Simmons, Moscow Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal and Evan's boss. Ann describes the ways in which the climate has changed for reporters covering Russia over recent years. She also sets out what happened on the day of Evan's arrest, the conditions in which he is being held and the chilling precedent his case sets for all those trying to get reliable, impartial information out of Russia.

Presented by Nicola Kelly

Producer: Kevin Caners