Biden says government working to free Gershkovich 1 year after arrest by Russia

March 29 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden said that diplomats are continuing to work on gaining freedom for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on the first anniversary of his arrest by Russian authorities.

Biden called Gershkovich's detention "wholly unjust and illegal," adding his government is "working every day" to secure his release.

"Journalism is not a crime and Evan went to Russia to do his job as a reporter -- risking his safety to shine the light of truth on Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine," Biden said in a White House statement.

Congressional leaders on Friday issued a rare joint statement in which they slammed the Kremlin for its "attempts to silence Evan and intimidate other Western reporters."

"Evan Gershkovich, an American citizen and reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has now spent a year wrongfully detained by Putin's government. We continue to condemn his baseless arrest, fabricated charges and unjust imprisonment," Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in the statement.

The top congressional leaders also called out Russian President Vladimir Putin directly, saying he "is restoring Soviet-style control through repression at home and aggression abroad."

Russia accused Gershkovich of espionage while the American newspaper journalist was on assignment in Yekaterinburg, about 1,000 miles east of Moscow. The Kremlin said he was gathering state secrets for the U.S. government as a spy. The newspaper and the State Department have denied the charges.

With little explanation on Tuesday, a Russian court extended Gershkovich's pre-trial detention to at last June 30. All of Gershkovich's attempts to challenge his pre-trial detention have failed.

"We will continue to denounce and impose costs for Russia's appalling attempts to use Americans as bargaining chips," Biden said. "We will continue to stand strong against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists -- the pillar of [a] free society."

In a letter posted by the Wall Street Journal on Friday, his family said while the uncertainty has been difficult, his courage has given them hope.

"Throughout all the challenges in this tumultuous time we've watched as Evan has faced this uncertainty, stuck in a small cell, with limited news of the world, without his freedom," the letter said.

"We have watched him face this with his head held high because he is innocent. He inspires us to keep going every day, especially on those days when we receive his letters and see his smile from the courtroom camera."

The Wall Street Journal itself left its front page mostly blank with the headline: "His story should be here," referring to Gershkovich.

In comments to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Putin suggested that Gershkovich could be part of a prisoner exchange. Biden mentioned another detained American Paul Whelan in his message.

Whelan, an ex-Marine, was arrested by Russian authorities in 2018 on espionage charges while attending a wedding of a fellow Marine who was marrying a Russian national.

"To Evan, to Paul Whelan, and to all Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad: We are with you," Biden said. "We will never stop working to bring you home."