The U.S. ambassador to Russia has visited American Evan Gershkovich in a prison in Moscow where the journalist is being held on charges of espionage.
Ambassador Lynne Tracy said on Twitter that she visited The Wall Street Journal reporter in the Lefortovo pretrial detention center on April 17.
"This is the first time we've had access to Evan since he was wrongfully detained over 2 weeks ago. He is in good health and remains strong. We reiterate our call for his immediate release," Tracy said.
The United States had been demanding consular access to Gershkovich, the first American journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges since the end of the Cold War.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States hopes to see continued consular access to the reporter.
"It was good to get to see him today and again we want to make sure we can continue to do that," Kirby said.
Gershkovich is planning to appeal against his arrest and detention, Reuters reported, citing court documents.
Moscow's Lefortovo district court on April 18 will hear a complaint filed by Gershkovich against the decision to keep him in custody while the case is being investigated, according to a court document cited by Reuters.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on March 30 it had detained Gershkovich in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and had opened an espionage case against him for collecting what it said were state secrets about the military-industrial complex.
The Wall Street Journal and the United States have denied he was involved in espionage.
The U.S. State Department on April 10 designated Gershkovich as "wrongfully detained" by Russia and called for his immediate release. U.S. President Joe Biden has also called on Russia to release him, along with international journalist organizations.
The Kremlin has said Gershkovich was carrying out espionage "under the cover" of journalism. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has told the United States that Gershkovich was caught red-handed while trying to obtain secrets.
