WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich loses appeal in Russian court

• "It has now been more than six months since Evan's unjust arrest, and we are outraged that he continues to be wrongfully detained," a company spokeswoman for Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal's parent company, said in a statement, the Journal reported.
• "The accusation against him is categorically false, and we call for his immediate release," they added.

Driving the news: Gershkovich's pretrial detention was initially slated to end May 29, but was extended until Aug. 30 Then Russian authorities extended it again until Nov. 30.

• This is the third time Russian authorities have rejected an appeal by Gershkovich's lawyers to free him from prison, per ABC News.

The big picture: Gershkovich's arrest in March marked the first time a U.S. journalist was detained in an espionage case in Russia since the Cold War, per the Committee to Protect Journalists.

• Russian authorities have accused Gershkovich of trying to obtain classified information "on the instructions of the United States" — an allegation the Wall Street Journal "vehemently" denied.

• In July, President Biden said he intended to pursue a prisoner swap for Gershkovich.
• However, Russian officials have said a verdict in the case must be reached before any swap deal can be struck, and legal experts believe it could be months before a trial for the case even begins, the Journal reported.