The Wall Street Journal published a blank story on March 29 in print and online. The headline reads, His Story Should Be Here. The story is of reporter, Evan Gershkovich, who was detained by Russian security forces during a reporting trip a year ago on March 29. Russia has accused Gershkovich of spying. It has been extraordinarily difficult to watch his detention proceedings play out over the months, each one an indefensible attempt to portray Evan as something other than what he is — a journalist. The Wall Street Journal, the White House and advocacy groups throughout the world have protested his arrest. Russia has not listened.

The importance of the Missing Articles campaign is accentuated by Russia’s work rounding up six independent journalists a few days prior. Among them is Antonina Favorskaya. She chronicled the career of opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, who died last month in a Siberian prison.

So the WSJ will continue to publish the blank stories, and these Missing Articles will continue to be part of a campaign by Mother New York and London until Gershkovich can write his own story.

Through this campaign, the Journal is not only amplifying the conversation around Evan’s unjust detainment and the efforts to bring him home but it also shares a powerful message about the importance of protecting press freedom around the world. 

Missing Articles is one of many activities from Dow Jones and the Journal to raise awareness of Evan’s detainment. They include:

• March 20-29: Call for Group Photos — to raise awareness, Dow Jones has asked colleagues and supporters to organize photos that can be shared in their coordinated social storm on Friday, March 29. They welcome everyone to take photos with #IStandWithEvan shirt, pins, or printouts featuring #IStandWithEvan.
  
• March 23: Global Swim for Evan — A global Swim for Evan occurred worldwide on Saturday, March 23. The swim brought together supporters swimming at different Brighton-named beaches in New York, California, the U.K., Australia, South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand, in a nod to Evan’s affinity for Brighton Beach in Brooklyn and on England’s south coast.
  
• March 27-28: 24-Hour Read-A-Thon for Evan — To mark one year of his imprisonment, friends and colleagues read Evan’s reporting for 24 hours.
  
• March 27: Global Run for Evan — A global Run for Evan raised awareness of Evan’s wrongful detention. Locations included London, New York, Singapore, Paris, and Johannesburg, among other locations.
  
• March 29: Print & Digital Ads — Various publications have donated ad space for Missing Articles and/or on their websites.