Evan IS Free Now!

490 days after he was unjustly detained by Russian authorities, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is finally coming home.

Once reports of a prisoner exchange, possibly involving Evan and others, started filtering out of Russia on Wednesday, Journal colleagues were hopeful and cautiously optimistic, but reluctant to make or share any comments until the news everyone had hoped for was 100% verified.

WSJ Editor in Chief Emma Tucker confirmed the news we all have been hoping for in a statement this morning.

“A few moments ago, Evan walked free from a Russian plane,” Tucker wrote, in an email to staff. “He will shortly be on a flight back to the U.S. I cannot even begin to describe the immense happiness and relief that this news brings and I know all of you will feel the same. This is a day of great joy for Evan and his family, and a historic day for The Wall Street Journal.”

“The strength, determination and resilience that Evan, his parents and his sister maintained throughout this long ordeal have been incredible. They have been an inspiration to all of us in the newsroom, to colleagues across the company and to supporters who have campaigned so hard for his release.”

Tucker assured staff that the company intends to continue supporting Evan after this ordeal. “We have a plan in place to ensure Evan is well looked after,” she said. “We want him to take as much time as he needs to recuperate privately and are doing everything we can to support him and his family.”

WSJ staffers have publicly refuted the ridiculous assertion that their colleague was a spy since Evan was first detained on March 30, 2023. Family, friends and colleagues insisted Evan was innocent of trumped up charges through the conclusion of a sham trial two weeks ago, when he was sentenced to serve 16 years in a Russian prison.

Throughout Evan’s unjust detention, co-workers shared Evan’s incredible work covering Russia and Ukraine. The Committee to Protect Journalists called for Evan’s release “immediately and without conditions.” NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss urged the Biden administration to “take all necessary steps” to secure Evan’s release from prison.

“Journalism is not a crime,” Schleuss wrote. “No journalist should be arrested for doing their job.”

WSJ Editor in Chief Emma Tucker had encouraged staff to use the hashtag #istandwithevan in social-media posts after Evan’s arrest. IAPE members, Dow Jones employees and supporters everywhere quickly changed their social media avatars and members distributed “Free Evan Now” buttons as fast as IAPE could deliver them.

And now, we are finally able to change that message.

Evan IS free now. Welcome home, Evan.