US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, stands inside a glass defendants' cage during the verdict announcement. Photo: AFP
US reporter Evan Gershkovich was sentenced by a Russian court on Friday to 16 years in prison for "espionage", a verdict reached after just over three weeks of secretive court proceedings denounced by Washington as a sham.Russia has a policy of not exchanging prisoners internationally unless they have already been convicted, potentially paving the way...