A Russian court has sentenced US journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison under a strict regime, AFP reports.
Gershkovich is the first journalist in Russia to be charged with espionage since the Soviet era.
"The Wall Street Journal and the White House say the charges are false.
Gershkovich was detained during a reporter's trip to the Ural city of Yekaterinburg in March 2023. He spent nearly 16 months in Moscow's Lefortovo prison.
The trial against him moved quickly after the first hearing in late June, with the prosecution and defense teams making their final arguments on July 19.
Other similar cases in Russia have dragged on much more slowly, with several weeks or even months passing between hearings. | BGNES
