Gershkovich, 32, denied the charges and pleaded not guilty during the secretive court proceedings in Yekaterinburg, mostly held behind closed doors. His employer, the Wall Street Journal, described the verdict as a "disgraceful, sham conviction".
The trial was concluded with unusual haste, raising hopes of a prisoner swap involving the journalist, something that has long been the subject of private discussions between Russian and US officials.
Footage from the courtroom showed Gershkovich, dressed in a T-shirt, watching impassively from inside a glass defendant's box, as the judge read out the sentence of "imprisonment for a term of 16 years in a penal colony with a strict regime". The court ordered his mobile phone and reporter's notebook to be destroyed.
Earlier yesterday the prosecution had asked for an 18-year jail term.
President Joe Biden said the US government was pushing hard for Gershkovich's release, adding: "There is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime."
The prime minister, Keir Starmer, called the sentence "despicable".
This story is from the July 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the July 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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