Kremlin declines to comment on possible prisoner swap involving WSJ reporter Gershkovich

FILE PHOTO: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who faces charges of espionage, stands inside an enclosure for defendants as he attends a court hearing in Yekaterinburg, Russia July 19, 2024. REUTERS/Dmitry Chasovitin/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin declined to comment on Tuesday on the possibility of a prisoner swap involving Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Russia said last month that contacts had taken place with the United States over a possible prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich but that the talks should take place far from the media.

A Russian court found Gershkovich guilty of espionage on July 19 and sentenced him to 16 years in jail. He denies the charges against him and the Wall Street Journal branded the sentence "a disgraceful sham conviction".

(Reporting by Reuters)