Earlier in the day, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that Gershkovich was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on a suspicion of espionage for the United States. According to FSB, Gershkovich collected classified information about the activities of one of Russian military-industrial complex firms.
"The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovic. We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family," the journal said in a statement.
Later on Thursday, the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow told Sputnik it had ruled that the reporter be put in pre-trial detention for two months.
Gershkovich's lawyer, Daniil Berman, told reporters that he had not been allowed to enter the courtroom, adding that the court might have assigned its own defender.
"They are saying that there is already some lawyer [defending Gershkovich] who is likely to have been assigned. An assistant [of the judge] said that they were not going to help me," Berman stated.
The lawyer also said that Gershkovich would likely be tried for espionage.
Under the Russian Criminal Code, an individual convicted of espionage may be face up to 20 years in prison.