Evan Gershkovich: Australian PM Anthony Albanese and other calls for his release

His case is generating increasing alarm about the safety of foreign nationals visiting and working in Russia, as well as deteriorating press freedom there.

Today, a group of prominent Australian leaders from the worlds of journalism, politics, business and the community is coming together to show their support for the Wall Street Journal reporter, who many believe is being detained as a human bargaining chip in Vladimir Putin’s dealings with the west.

They’ve written letters of support to Mr Gershkovich, which will be sent to him at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison after they are translated into Russian, a condition for all messages sent to inmates at the Stalin-era facility.

Those letters kick off our Dear Evan campaign, in which we are encouraging readers to pen their own letter in support of the 32 year old reporter, who is being kept in isolation and only gets one hour of outdoor time per day.

Mr Gershkovich’s plight is drawing support from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton both adding their voice to the campaign.

“Journalists speak truth to power and should never be in prison for doing their job,” Mr Albanese wrote in his letter.

“Journalism sits at the core of liberal values – freedom of expression and the public’s right to know. The world is a dangerous place and the work you do has never been more important.”

Mr Dutton compared Mr Gershkovich’s detention to the incarceration of the famous Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who defied authorities to write about political repression in the then Soviet Union.

“The freedom to think is the victory of truth over lies and control,” Mr Dutton wrote. “With thought and truth, one’s spirit can endure the most testing of circumstances.”

In her letter, former Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she was “angered by this injustice”.

“Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that the world has access to independent reporting of what is happening in Russia. As the war in Ukraine continues, and the world reacts to the murder of Alexei Navalny, it is vital that the free press can do its job and expose the truth.”

Midnight Oil lead singer and former MP Peter Garrett told Mr Gershkovich that despite Australia’s distance from Russia, there was strong awareness of his situation.

“May you take some comfort from the fact that there is a strong campaign to secure your release and our deep hope is that this happens as soon as possible,” Mr Garrett wrote.

Similar comments came from the former Foreign Minister, NSW Premier and journalist Bob Carr, who urged Mr Gershkovich to “never surrender the hope that a sense of justice or at the very least some simple common sense is going to allow your return to family, country and profession”.

Some of Australia’s most respected journalists have also written to Mr Gershkovich, encouraging him to stay strong.

“Your detention is a stark reminder of the fragility of press freedoms and I hope all governments recognise that a free presses not a threat but a safeguard,” wrote Ten newsreader Sandra Sully.

The Project co-host Hamish Macdonald – for many years a foreign correspondent himself – said he saluted Mr Gershkovich’s “courageous reporting and bravery”.

“Freedom of the press can never be taken for granted and your predicament reminds us of this,” he wrote.

News Corp Australia’s support of the Free Evan campaign honours the fact that this masthead is a global stablemate of the Wall Street Journal.

“As champions for freedom of speech, journalists take risks every day to advocate for unrestricted dialogue, which is crucial to a functioning democracy,” Executive Chairman of News Corp Australasia Michael Miller said.

“We will not rest until Evan Gershkovich is reunited with his family and back in a newsroom, gathering facts and telling stories as a journalist.”

Erin Madeley, the Chief Executive of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, which represents journalists, said “false charges of espionage are laid to prevent truthful and accurate reporting of regimes that are seeking to avoid scrutiny”.

The growing outrage over Mr Gershkovich’s detention has also moved many prominent business leaders.

Mining and renewable energy magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest AO applauded Mr Gershkovich’s work, saying it was the “antidote to the misinformation that despots like Putin continue to propagate to justify their atrocities”.

Fellow AO Gina Rinehart called on the Biden administration in the US to redouble its efforts to “bring Evan home”, while Visy chairman Anthony Pratt reminded Mr Gershkovich that “You work for a great news organisation that will never give up on bringing you home.”