U.S. ambassador to Russia visits U.S. journalist Gershkovich in pre-trial detention facility

MOSCOW. April 17 (Interfax) - United States Ambassador in Moscow Lynne Tracy said she visited detained U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich at the Lefortovo pre-trial detention facility on Monday.

"I visited WSJ's Evan Gershkovich today at Lefortovo Prison - the first time we've been permitted access to him since his wrongful detention more than two weeks ago," Tracy was quoted as saying on the U.S. embassy's Twitter account.

"He is in good health and remains strong. We reiterate our call for his immediate release," the U.S. ambassador said.

On March 30, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported the detention of Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen born in 1991. The FSB said at the time that "the American was detained in Yekaterinburg while trying to obtain secret information."

Later on March 30, Moscow's Lefortovsky District Court granted investigators' motion and issued an arrest warrant for Gershkovich. According to the FSB, Gershkovich, "acting on the orders of the U.S., was gathering information about a Russian defense plant that constitutes a state secret."

On April 7, Gershkovich was indicted for spying.

On April 18, the Moscow City Court will consider the defense team's request to repeal Gershkovich's arrest at a closed-door session.