Her journalist appealed Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkowitz against a Russian court’s decision to extend his temporary detention by three months, court documents revealed today.

Gershkovich, an American citizen, was arrested in March on espionage charges after Russia’s FSB security service accused him of gathering classified military intelligence in the city of Yekaterinenburg.

He was initially remanded in custody until May 29, but on Tuesday a court decided to extend his detention until August 30 in a closed-door proceeding.

Russia’s decision to extend the detention of the Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia for three months is unacceptable, White House spokesman John Kirby said yesterday.

Prolonged detention of journalist Evan Gerskovich is irresponsible and unacceptable, Kirby said during a press briefing.

US officials are still pushing to gain consular access to Gershkowitz, Kirby said. “There is no reason to deny consular access… We really want to have that consular access,” he added.

Moscow has twice rejected requests by the US embassy in Moscow for embassy members to visit the journalist. The Russian Foreign Ministry justified the rejection of the requests as retaliation for Washington’s refusal in April to issue visas to Russian journalists accompanying Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the UN headquarters in New York.