Former Moscow Police Officers Detained In Journalist Golunov’s Fabricated Case

Five former Moscow police officers have been detained in the high-profile drug-trafficking case against Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, who was arrested and then released amid a public outcry and allegations of police corruption in June last year.

The Investigative Committee said on January 29 that the detained officers are being questioned.

The 37-year-old Golunov, who works for Latvia-based Meduza, was arrested in June in Moscow for allegedly attempting to sell illegal drugs.

He was released several days later after the charges were dropped following a public outcry. The case sparked an investigation into his detainment over the charges and also how Golunov suffered bruises, cuts, a concussion, and a broken rib during the ordeal.

In mid-July, three police officers and their supervisor were fired for violating Golunov’s rights while detaining him.

After Golunov’s release, Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Major General Yury Devyatkin, the head of the Moscow police department’s drug control directorate, and Major General Andrei Puchkov, the police chief in the Moscow West administrative region over the case.

In November, it was announced that the case has been marked classified, which Golunov’s lawyers criticized, calling the move an attempt to cover up what they termed the “wrongful arrest” of their client.