Russia’s Independent Journalism Will Survive in Exile, Gershkovich Says at Inaugural Derk Sauer Lecture
The event was both a tribute to Sauer’s legacy and a discussion of Gershkovich’s work and imprisonment in Russia.
The inaugural Derk Sauer Lecture in Amsterdam featured Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who discussed the resilience of independent journalism in Russia despite the Kremlin's destruction of such media at home. Gershkovich, speaking at the De Balie cultural center, highlighted the principles of independent journalism imparted by Sauer, which he said remain with exiled Russian journalists and will flourish again.
Gershkovich, who was arrested in Russia in 2023 and sentenced to 16 years on espionage charges, recounted his experience in prison and his eventual release in an August 2024 prisoner swap. The lecture also touched on the psychological impact of his ordeal and the importance of foreign correspondents staying in Russia, despite the risks.
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