A Russian judge extends the detention of American journalist Evan Gershkovich.

MOSCOW — Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested and detained in Russia nearly two months ago on what the United States and the Journal say are baseless allegations of espionage, appeared at a hearing Tuesday to review the status of his preliminary investigation. detention to be reviewed, reports the Russian state news agency Tass.

The court, as expected, approved Russia’s intelligence request to extend Mr Gershkovich’s arrest by three months until August 30, Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Mr. Gershkovich has been held in Lefortovo Prison since his arrest on March 29 during a reporting trip to the central Russian city of Yekaterinburg. If convicted, Mr. Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in a Russian penal colony.

US diplomats had said it was almost certain that Mr Gershkovich’s detention would be extended at the hearing and that his application for bail would be rejected. Even in the best of times, a preliminary investigation of an espionage case normally takes months and a year can elapse before a verdict is reached.

Russian-American relations are in a state of acute tension over the war in Ukraine, a conflict still officially referred to in Russia as a “special military operation”, and President Vladimir V. Putin has embarked on an effort to make independent news outlets to suppress and freedom of expression in general.

Before the arrest of 31-year-old Gershkovich, not a single Western journalist in the country had been charged with espionage since the Cold War. Bee a hearing in a courtroom in Moscow on April 18, journalists were allowed in and found Mr. Gershkovich standing in a glass cage, red handcuffs visible on his wrist. He smiled and stated through his lawyer that he was determined to defend his right to work freely as a licensed journalist.

Putin has not hesitated to stifle criticism of the war, punishing it with long prison terms and other measures. This has led to an exodus of war critics and many Russians who are concerned about the course of their country.

Lefortovo Prison is notorious for its near-isolation and often harsh conditions imposed on its inmates. Mr Gershkovich has been generally isolated, the diplomats said, but his lawyers have been allowed to see him regularly.

Russian authorities have rejected two requests from US Ambassador to Russia, Lynne M. Tracy, to visit Mr Gershkovich, as she was allowed to see him under intense Russian surveillance on April 17.

Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr Putin’s spokesman, has said that Mr Gershkovich has been caught in the act, but has not elaborated. Russia has not provided any evidence to support the espionage charge against a journalist known for his in-depth knowledge of the country and his persistent reporting.

The United States government, the Journal, numerous colleagues, press freedom groups and prominent international officials have all condemned Mr Gershkovich’s detention. They have vehemently denied the allegations against him.

The Biden administration has claimed that Mr. Gershkovich is “wrongly detained” — an official determination that basically says the United States considers him a political hostage and opens the way for a wide variety of steps to secure his release. The White House has called for his immediate release.

A prisoner exchange, like the one that’s secured the release of Brittney Griner, an American basketball star, was set to take place late last year only after a verdict is reached in the case, Russian officials have said. However, it is known that the Biden administration is working on an early release.