The White House is condemning Russia after the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich, on espionage charges.

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The Biden administration strongly condemned Russia’s detention of a Wall Street Journal reporter on espionage charges Thursday and said it was working to provide American Evan Gershkovich with consular access.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Gershkovich, 31, in the eastern city of Yekaterinburg earlier Thursday.

“The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “We also condemn the Russian government’s continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press.”

The Journal denied the spy allegations, issuing a statement requesting the immediate release of “our trusted and dedicated” Moscow-based reporter.

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