Gershkovich, 31, has been jailed since late March when authorities detained him on espionage charges during a reporting trip to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Gershkovich was later transferred to Moscow's high-security Lefortovo Prison, a jail notorious for its difficult conditions and extreme isolation for inmates.

Gershkovich has been sitting in jail since the end of March when he was detained in the city of Yekaterinburg, almost 2,000km (1200 miles) east of Moscow, while on a reporting trip. The latest ruling means he faces spending at least eight months in prison.

A Russian judge ruled Tuesday that American journalist Evan Gershkovich must remain behind bars on espionage charges in a case that is part of a crackdown the Kremlin has intensified on dissent and press freedom since invading Ukraine.