When she was advised the place her son was being held, Ella Milman instantly acknowledged the title. Like many former residents of the Soviet Union, she knew in regards to the Moscow jail’s chilling notoriety.
“All these dissidents going into Lefortovo — the title horrifies you,” she mentioned in an interview with ABC’s “Nightline” that aired early on Wednesday.
Ms. Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich, the dad and mom of Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Road Journal who has been jailed in Russia since March, mentioned in the interview that President Biden had personally promised to do “no matter it takes” to get their son dwelling.
Mr. Gershkovich, 31, was detained throughout a reporting journey and charged with espionage. Each the U.S. authorities and The Journal have categorically denied the accusations and the USA considers him “wrongfully detained.”
The Biden administration confirmed final week that it was in talks with Russia a couple of potential prisoner swap that would come with the reporter, however mentioned that the discussions had not “produced a transparent pathway to a decision.”
Ms. Milman mentioned Mr. Biden spoke to them as a fellow father or mother and mentioned he understood their ache. After assurances from the president and his secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, she mentioned she felt “very very optimistic that it’s entering into the fitting route.”
Mr. Gershkovich’s dad and mom have exchanged letters with their son and have twice flown to Moscow to attend his court docket hearings, talking to him by a glass barrier at considered one of them. He has been in robust spirits throughout his detention, his dad and mom mentioned, joking with them and even teasing his mom that the breakfast on the Lefortovo jail reminded him of her cooking.
Within the interview, Mikhail Gershkovich additionally described how dedicated his son was to reporting on Russia.
“He thought-about it each a privilege and duty — that he was accredited, and that he was a overseas journalist, not a Russian. He was considered one of few individuals who may report actually what he noticed,” he mentioned.
Ms. Milman mentioned she had fearful about her son, particularly when he printed articles in regards to the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. She mentioned she needed to inform the Russian authorities that journalism isn’t against the law.
As soon as she will get her son again, she is going to maintain him shut, Ms. Milman mentioned within the interview.
“I simply wouldn’t let him out, anyplace,” she mentioned. “For a number of days a minimum of.”
