A Moscow court declines to hear an appeal by jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich

MOSCOW (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court, seeking release from jail on espionage charges, but it declined to hear his appeal and returned the case to a lower court due to unspecified procedural violations. Before the closed session, he appeared in the glass defendants’ cage, smiling at fellow journalists. Gershkovich was detained in March in Yekaterinburg, east of Moscow. There was initial confusion when the state news agency Tass reported the court had rejected his appeal, but it later said the case was sent to the lower court. The decision means Gershkovich will remain jailed until Nov. 30, unless his appeal is heard in the meantime and he is released — an unlikely outcome.