MOSCOW 

A Russian government prosecutor on Friday sought 18 years in prison for American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been charged with espionage in the country.

The prosecutor completed his arguments in the espionage case against The Wall Street Journal journalist Gershkovich and has asked the Sverdlovsk region court in Yekaterinburg to sentence him to 18 years in a high-security prison colony, according to the court's press service.

The verdict is expected later in the day.

"The trial of The Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, has reached its final stage. The court reviewed all the materials of the case, questioned witnesses and the defendant, heard arguments from the parties, and heard the defendant's final statement. The judge has now retired to deliberate on the verdict," the press service stated.

Gershkovich was detained in Russia in March 2023 on charges of espionage. The Federal Security Service accused him of gathering state secrets about the military-industrial complex.

Gershkovich and The Wall Street Journal deny the allegations, claiming he was simply performing his duties as a journalist.