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US claims about Gershkovich cannot withstand criticism, his guilt is proven — envoy

This is not the first time that we face US ruling circles’ attempts to attack the Russian justice

WASHINGTON, July 20. /TASS/. The US authorities’ claims regarding US national Evan Gershkovich cannot withstand any criticism, his guilt has been proven, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said.

"This is not the first time that we face US ruling circles’ attempts to attack the Russian justice. Washington’s selective approach regarding what is right, fair and legitimate, is well-known. Evan Gershkovich was sentenced not for journalism, but for his spying activities. His guilt was proven during a court proceeding. The claims that Russia allegedly undermines the freedom of speech and ‘hunts down’ Americans cannot withstand any criticism," the diplomat said, according to the Russian embassy’s Telegram channel. "It is the US who persecutes Russian citizens around the world and put them in jail under contrived pretexts. The spy mania in America is off the charts," Antonov underscored.

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