The United States announced on April 27 sanctions against Russia’s security service, the FSB, in light of Moscow’s detainment of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
The Biden administration also announced sanctions against Iran over wrongfully detaining Americans.
“These actors in Russia and Iran have tried to use Americans for political leverage or to seek concessions from the United States,” a senior administration official told reporters in a call.
“These actions threaten the stability and integrity of the international political system and also threaten the safety of U.S. nationals and other persons abroad.”
The official said the United States would sanction the FSB “for being responsible for, or complicit in, directly or indirectly engaged in, or responsible for, ordering, controlling or otherwise directing the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals abroad.
“The FSB has repeatedly been involved in the arrest, investigation, and detention of U.S. nationals wrongfully detained in Russia. Indeed, Russia’s state-owned media outlets have publicly acknowledged the FSB’s involvement in the arrest and investigation of wrongfully detained U.S. nationals.”
That announcement comes as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post published a joint ad in their print editions on April 27 urging support from the U.S. government, including President Joe Biden and the White House, for the release of Gershkovich.
Gershkovich, 31, was arrested on March 29 on spying charges and has been held in a Russian prison since then. Russia has denied U.S. consular services to Gershkovich. The State Department has labeled Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained,” a designation allowing greater government resources to be allocated toward securing his release.
“We continue to be shocked and outraged over the wrongful arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is imprisoned by the Russian government for no other reason than newsgathering,” stated the media organizations.
“As editors and publishers of some of America’s largest news organizations, we are united in calling for his immediate release. Reporting is not a crime.”
As it pertains to sanctions on Iran, the administration announced they would be targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence Organization, or IRGCIO, over the wrongful detainments of U.S. nationals.
“The IRGCIO frequently holds and interrogates detainees, including at least one wrongfully detained U.S. national in Evin Prison,” said the administration official. “And Evin Prison has a long and sordid history of human rights abuses, including extensive reports of torture.”
The official also announced that four IRGCIO leaders would be sanctioned for their role in wrongfully detaining U.S. nationals.
“Today’s sanctions are one of a series of efforts, some public like this, some private, to secure the release of U.S. nationals wrongfully held overseas to promote accountability for the culprits,” said the official. “And by doing so, to prevent and deter the next set of cases from arising in the first place.”