Imprisoned for Spying: Wall Street Journal Reporter Tells His Story at Marie Colvin Distinguished Lecture Series October 6

Evan Gershkovich, the first American journalist jailed in Russia since the Cold War, will deliver the Marie Colvin Distinguished Lecture on Tuesday, October 6. Radhika Jones, former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, will be moderator.

Evan Gershkovich, foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, was seized by masked agents in March 2023 while sitting with his source in an empty restaurant in Yekaterinburg, 900 miles east of Moscow. He was tried on false espionage charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Gershkovich spent nearly 500 days in prison before his release in August 2024 in a multi-country prisoner exchange.

In his lecture, Gershkovich will explain the events leading to his arrest, his time in prison, and his haunting relationship with Russia as detailed in his highly anticipated memoir, This Cursed Beautiful Land. The memoir is set for release on September 29. This event is hosted by the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting at Stony Brook University's School of Communication and Journalism.

"We are honored to host this critical conversation with Evan Gershkovich as part of our Marie Colvin Lecture Series. His impressive career demonstrates the vital importance of empathetic, connected journalism that rejects shallow, distant commentary," said Karin Gwinn Wilkins, dean of the School of Communication and Journalism. "His experiences illustrate the courage required in the field, a deep commitment to cultural immersion, and an unwavering human compass that protects journalistic integrity."

Gershkovich is based in Berlin as foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. His work has also appeared in The Economist, Foreign Policy and The New York Times. He was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2025 as part of a team of reporters from the Journal.

"No journalist should be imprisoned for doing their job. Evan has turned his terrifying experience of Vladimir Putin's Russia into a riveting and inspiring story of resilience and hope. We are delighted to welcome him to Stony Brook," said Sarah Baxter, director of the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting.

Marie Colvin was a fearless war correspondent who exposed crimes against humanity from the front lines. Born on Long Island, she was killed in 2012 in a targeted attack by the Syrian regime led by the dictator Bashar Al-Assad, who was overthrown in December 2024.

The Colvin Distinguished Lecture will take place at the Charles B. Wang Center Theater on Tuesday, October 6. Refreshments will be at 5:30 pm, followed by the lecture at 6 pm. This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome. Reservations are not required, but encouraged. RSVP online.

- Melanie Formosa