Page 2 - Espionage

WSJ reporter Gershkovich's closed trial for espionage to begin in Russia

Fifteen months after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on espionage charges, he returns there for his trial starting Wednesday behind closed doors. The 32-year-old Gershkovich, the American-born son of immigrants from the USSR, is the first Western journalist to be arrested on espionage in post-Soviet Russia. Both his employer and the US government vigorously deny the allegations; the State Department has declared him wrongfully detained, thereby committing the government to assertively seek his release. The newspaper has worked diligently to keep the case in the public eye and it has become an issue in the combative months leading up to the US presidential election. Since his arrest on March 29, 2023, Gershkovich has been held in Moscow's notoriously dismal Lefortovo Prison. He has appeared healthy during court hearings in which his appeals for release have been rejected. Evan has displayed remarkable resilience and ..

All you need to know about WikiLeaks and why it got Assange in trouble

In February this year, Assange's legal team sought permission for a final appeal, arguing the case was politically motivated

Chinese military books sold for less than $1; spy agency issues warning

Chinese national Zhang came across military-themed books at the recycling station, and purchased four of them for six yuan ($0.83)

We survived because of our defence training: Navy vet released from Qatar

Ragesh Gopakumar, one of the eight Indian Navy veterans released by the Qatar government, expressed joy and gratitude over returning home and being reunited with his family after spending months in captivity in the tiny gulf nation. "We are just happy to be alive... happy to be home," a relieved Gopakumar said, adding that he and his colleagues survived only because of their Defence training. He was freed along with seven other former Navy personnel by Qatar two days ago after their death sentences were commuted to jail terms of varying duration. Gopakumar arrived in Balaramapuram, a suburb located over 16 km away from Kerala's capital city, on Monday and tearfully hugged his family members. Speaking to PTI, the ex-Navy man said, "Prison and confinement is something terrible." Whenever someone enquired what the plight of his family had been when he was in prison, he would ask them to imagine a situation where a husband who used to speak to his wife at least five times a day ...

PM Modi is Pradhan Rakshak: Scindia after Qatar freed Indian Navy veterans

In a major diplomatic triumph for India, eight veterans of the Indian Navy who were sentenced to death in Qatar were released on Monday

Wouldn't have been possible: Freed Navy vets praise PM on return from Qatar

Their death sentence was later commuted to an extended prison term following sustained diplomatic interventions and legal assistance from New Delhi

Qatar accepts India's appeal against death sentence to ex-Navy officers

On October 26, the eight personnel were given death sentence by Qatar's Court of First Instance

Why did Qatar give death penalty to 8 ex-Indian Navy officers?

A surprising turn of events has unfolded in Qatar, where eight retired Indian Navy personnel, including senior officers once commanding major warships, face the death penalty.

China's new anti-espionage law sending a chill through foreign corporations

The law also empowers authorities with new surveillance powers. These include the ability to access people's emails or social media accounts on electronic devices

Russia bans iPhones for government officials amid espionage fears: Report

The trade ministry has prohibited all use of iPhones and other Apple devices for work purposes, starting this week

Foreign companies in tough situation due to China's new anti-espionage law

Foreign companies are in a difficult situation as China's new anti-espionage law came into effect on Saturday, Nikkei Asia reported

Russia charges Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich with espionage

Gershkovich is the first American journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges since the end of the cold war

Iran hangs former defence ministry official Ali Akbari in spy claim

Iran said Saturday it executed a former high-ranking defence ministry official and dual Iranian-British national, despite international warnings not to carry out the death sentence. The execution further escalated tensions with the West amid the nationwide anti-government protests shaking the Islamic Republic. The hanging of Ali Reza Akbari, a close ally of top security official Ali Shamkhani, suggests an ongoing power struggle within Iran's theocracy as it tries to contain the demonstrations over the September death of Mahsa Amini. It also harkened back to the mass purges of the military that immediately followed Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Akbari's hanging drew immediate anger from London, which along with the US and others has sanctioned Iran over the protests and its supplying Russia with the bomb-carrying drones now targeting Ukraine. This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people, British Prime

Iran sentences former defence ministry official to death over espionage

The former Deputy Defence Minister, identified by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry as Alireza Akbari, was charged with 'espionage on behalf of Britain'

Delhi Police arrests MEA driver on charges of espionage: Report

Delhi Police's Crime Branch team has arrested a driver working in the Ministry of External Affairs on charges of espionage for allegedly leaking confidential details to a Pakistan-based person, sources said on Friday. According to a source, the arrest was made on Friday from the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan here. The suspect allegedly used to pass confidential and sensitive information related to national security to a person based in Pakistan. The source said the driver was honey trapped by an ISI person who pretended to be a woman when he spoke with him. Police, however, refused to share any details of the case citing concerns over national security.

ISRO spy case 'victim' Maldivian national Fousia Hassan dies in Colombo

The ISRO spy case surfaced in 1994 when S. Nambi Narayanan, a top scientist at the ISRO unit here, was arrested on charges of espionage

Russia demands 24-year sentence for ex-journalist in espionage trial

The prosecution in the espionage trial of former Russian journalist Ivan Safronov has demanded a 24-year prison sentence

Taiwan seeks to pass bills to protect 'core' tech from Chinese espionage

The amendments would increase prison time and fines for people who work with foreign entities to steal information about 'core' technologies, reported Taipei Times

British spy service warns MPs about Chinese agent's improper influence

The woman 'has been engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party', says Speaker.

Deighton's many spies in the cold

Unlike le Carre, who developed quite a sentimental Left view of the world, Deighton remained faithful to his calling of entertainment