The espionage trial of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter jailed in Russia, enters its final phase on Friday as the court began hearing closing arguments. The prosecution considers the allegations made in the closed-door proceedings, which opened in Yekaterinburg on June 26, to have been proven beyond a doubt. Russian media said 32-year-old Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He and his employer deny the charges. Press freedom advocates, media outlets around the globe, and the US government have also condemned Russia’s prosecution of Gershkovich as a sham a…