Russia, in rare U-turn after public anger, drops case against journalist

[webfact]

Russia, in rare U-turn after public anger, drops case against journalist

By Andrew Osborn and Vladimir Soldatkin

 

Russian journalist Ivan Golunov, who was freed from house arrest after police abruptly dropped drugs charges against him, speaks with the media in Moscow, Russia June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police abruptly dropped drugs charges on Tuesday against journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who had alleged he was framed for his reporting and had threatened to stage a mass protest in Moscow.

 

Golunov, a 36-year-old journalist known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he flatly denied.

 

Russian journalists critical of authorities have led a dangerous existence since the 1990s - sometimes threatened, physically attacked, and even murdered for their work.

 

But the crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift response from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards.

 

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said the criminal case against Golunov was being dropped due to a lack of evidence of any wrongdoing on his part.

 

Golunov was freed from house arrest hours later. After having the electronic bracelet on his ankle removed, he walked out of a police station in central Moscow to be met by hundreds of journalists who applauded him.

 

While welcoming Golunov's release, a spokeswoman for the European Union on foreign affairs said the trend in Russia with regard to media freedom "remains worrying".

 

"Independent as well as critical voices are an essential part of any vibrant society," Maja Kocijancic said on Twitter.

 

Russia ranks 149th out of 180 countries worldwide on a media freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group.

 

INVESTIGATIONS TO CONTINUE

Visibly emotional, Golunov thanked everyone for their support and said he would continue his work.

 

"I will continue the work that I was doing and carry out investigations because I need to justify the trust in me that those who have supported me have shown," he said.

 

Choking back tears, he said he hoped other journalists would not have to undergo similar ordeals and that the investigation into the police officers and others who framed him would continue.

 

Kolokoltsev, the interior minister, said some police officers involved in the case were being temporarily removed from duty pending an investigation and that he planned to ask Putin to dismiss other more senior police personnel.

 

"I believe that the rights of every citizen, regardless of his profession, must be protected," said Kolokoltsev.

 

Galina Timchenko, general director of online news portal Meduza where Golunov works, and other senior Russian journalists said in a statement: "This was the result of an unprecedented international journalistic campaign and of citizens' solidarity. We are glad that the authorities listened to society. That's how it should be when an injustice occurs."

 

A team of investigative journalists would continue to try to establish who was behind his persecution, they added.

 

Before the police backed down, nearly 25,000 people had signed up to a Facebook page expressing their intention to take part in a protest march on Wednesday in solidarity with Golunov.

 

The authorities had said the protesters did not have approval, and that their protest could threaten public safety.

 

The march presented the Kremlin with a quandary: either use force to break up the protest, and risk provoking more anger, or stand aside and let the demonstration take place, which risked revealing weakness to the Kremlin's opponents.

 

The charges against Golunov inflamed opinion among urban professionals, a group that is in a minority nationwide, but which has outsize influence in Moscow.

 

The three leading daily newspapers - Vedomosti, Kommersant and RBK -- all carried the same headline on Monday in a rare show of solidarity: "I am/We are Ivan Golunov."

 

Journalists had protested outside Moscow's police headquarters day after day demanding the case be dropped and celebrities and even some high-profile state TV anchors had spoken out in favour of Golunov.

 

Golunov and Timchenko advised supporters against taking to the streets on Wednesday, saying it was better to hold a protest event at a later date.

 

(Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova, Tom Balmforth, Polina Ivanova, Lena Fabrichnaya and Christian Lowe in Moscow, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Writing by Andrew Osborn, Editing by Christian Lowe and Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-12

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[Tug]

Nice to see putin is feeling a little heat

[harada]

I fear this guy may have been safer locked up.

[KKr]

24 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

That must mean that they just confirmed that it was a setup form start.

case dropped (not closed) due to "lack of evidence" is a Damocles sword

[grumpy 4680]

   Planting drugs is the oldest trick in the book used by Russian police and so called security officers, Putin has benefited from such tactics over the years, hence his wealth.

[sammieuk1]

Just don't touch your door handle Ivan ever????

[dick dasterdly]

Good to see the russian press and journalists standing up for an obviously 'kippered' member - who dared to tell the truth.

 

I apologise for going a bit off-topic, but it would be nice if the Western press behaved the same way.....

 

 

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

Just don't touch your door handle Ivan ever????

The russian press and journalists 'threw a wobbly' when Gulanov was arrested to 'shut him up'.

 

You don't think they'd throw even more of a wobbly if he was poisoned?

[Mac98]

1 hour ago, dick dasterdly said:

Good to see the russian press and journalists standing up for an obviously 'kippered' member - who dared to tell the truth.

 

I apologise for going a bit off-topic, but it would be nice if the Western press behaved the same way.....

 

 

The russian press and journalists 'threw a wobbly' when Gulanov was arrested to 'shut him up'.

 

You don't think they'd throw even more of a wobbly if he was poisoned?

What if he simply disappears?

[from the home of CC]

2 hours ago, grumpy 4680 said:

   Planting drugs is the oldest trick in the book used by Russian police and so called security officers, Putin has benefited from such tactics over the years, hence his wealth.

       

https://www.vice.com/sv/article/bmbab8/the-police-officers-who-sell-the-drugs-they-seize        happens in the uk too..

[KKr]

5 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Nope! It´s just a BS excuse to aviod confirming the truth. That disregarding you bringing up all from Platon and Aristoteles to Damocles.

after the hype is over, upon discovery of "new" circumstances or "new" evidence, the case can be reopened with the stroke of a pen, and let's just hope for this journalist that such does not happen. ( appreciate your looking up about the sword ???? )

As for confirming the truth, not rare that government agencies in their position high above the crowd use tricks, even the US has reportedly some examples unfortunately p.e. in the fight against drugs ( have you seen White Boy Rick? ), but very rare that such are admitted.

[Chomper Higgot]

It'll all blow over in time. 

[pegman]

So who has the freer press? Russia who released this guy or the UK  and the USA who are persecuting Assange.